Revolution
by Hushed Dreamer
Summary: As the Revolution begins in France, a young Assassin discovers a something his late father kept hidden from his family. However he didn't expect the Templars to seek out his father's Piece of Eden for their own purposes, and unbeknownst to anybody that one Piece is essential to helping save a future that was far beyond just one man's control.
1. Normal Childhood

**A/N: **I had this written out for some time but never really got around to posting it until now. As the summary says, this is set during the French Revolution during the 18th Century because Ubisoft _is not _going to make one set in that time period, and that's one time period that really interests me. And behold my original title (that was sarcasm for those who didn't get it). No, but really for now the title is sticking until I can think of a better one.

Research _has _been done for this and this fic does indeed have an ending planned out, and I'll try to be as accurate as possible but please do tell me if I messed something up.

(4/16/13) As a note: the Apple is _not _the 'treasure' mentioned in the summary. I've edited all the chapters since this fic was first posted back in September, and I've also changed the summary after re-outlining the plot, so the plot has much more meaning now and this is not a pointless fic. I pretty much had to re-outline the plot anyway since I got the brilliant idea one day to make this fic connected to my other AC fic, but the other one doesn't have to be read in order to understand this one.

Disclaimer: I don't own Assassin's Creed or anything related to it, I just own the plot for this story and the characters.

* * *

_"As for the future, your task is not to foresee it, but to enable it."_

-Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

* * *

**Chapter I: Normal Childhood**

_Paris, France  
September 24th, 1780_

The work day was finally coming to an end. Merchants were making their way home after a long day of work, people were out and about running-last minute errands, and children were making their way back home to their mothers and fathers after a long day of play. He could smell food being cooked in the houses nearby and knew that his mother had to have finished cooking that night's dinner by then, but eating was far from his mind. He didn't want to go back home to face his mother, and he was sure that his father had returned home from work already. It was amazing how when a child hurt him or herself just a few comforting words and a kiss would make them feel better, but he knew that he wouldn't get just that. Well…maybe that wasn't completely true. But after disobeying his parents once again he was sure that he was going to get a good scolding.

He didn't remember exactly how it happened though. All Aurèle Armand remembered was throwing his hands in front of himself when he realized he wouldn't stick the landing and then the pain erupted in his wrist. The few seconds after that he had been worried about his mother's reaction when he would later have to tell her that he might have possibly broken the joint doing something that he shouldn't even have been attempting in the first place, but what child wouldn't worry about getting in trouble?

"It would be stupid to ask if you're all right, wouldn't it?"

Worry soon turned into panic when his wrist began throbbing with pain as he moved to sit up and he bit his lip as he quickly tried to apply the least pressure as possible to his right hand. It was his fault, he knew that. How many times had his mother told him that she didn't want him imitating his friend's 'fascination' with climbing things? Wrapping his left hand around his wrist as he held it against his chest he looked up from where he was sitting on the cool cobblestone to meet his older his older brother's green eyes with his owl hazel. He glared at Alexandre as the latter bent down and helped him up onto his feet.

"What do you think? He's obviously in pain." his sister retorted as she eyed the injury from where she stood next to Alexandre.

He blinked again when he felt his eyes burn at the sudden urge to cry as the pain intensified at the motion of getting up. He didn't want to cry. Instead he let out a pained groan, shutting his eyes as they became moistened with unshed tears.

"It hurts." Aurèle let out, opening his eyes again to look at his sister. He breathed in deeply, and let out a shaky breath. He shouldn't cry, not at his age. Only a few weeks away from turning the age of ten, Aurèle was the youngest of his parent's three children, the eldest being his brother Alexandre who was two years older than him, and the middle child being their sister, Lucille, who was only a year younger than Alexandre and whom Aurèle knew would have run off to tell their parents what had just happened but for some reason had stayed behind.

"You didn't stick the landing and landed on your wrist, what did you expect?" his sister said.

"I know." he groaned, knowing that if he were to tell his mother that he had jumped from a crate used for large cargo that had been delivered to the house across the street from their house and got hurt in the process that she would be upset. He looked down as he balled his hand into a fist as the pain subsided slightly to see that the joint was now swollen.

"We should tell maman and papa so that they can take you to the doctor." Lucille suggested as she turned around.

"No!" Aurèle exclaimed, startling her.

"No?" Lucille stopped and turned to look at her younger brother with a frown.

"Yes…I mean no."

"He's scared of the doctor, remember?" Alexandre reminded her as he walked past her and made his way across the street toward their house. The house wasn't huge, it only had three bedrooms, a washroom, a small kitchen, and a small den, but the size of the house never really mattered much to them. Not that they ever really thought about its size.

"Oh…all right." Lucille nodded before turning around and following after Alexandre with Aurèle reluctantly following after her.

Once they were inside, Lucille stopped and turned around to look at Alexandre and Aurèle, smiling at them. "So I shouldn't tell them what happened?" she asked, giving them an innocent look but Alexandre could tell that she was teasing them and narrowed his eyes at her. Aurèle glanced back and forth between his siblings. He knew that he wasn't the only one going against their mother's warning, and that if Lucille were to tell their parents what he and Alexandre had been doing then they both would get in trouble.

"Tell who what?" somebody, a man, called out from the den. It was a voice they recognized as their father's and upon hearing his voice Lucille grinned mischievously and took a step backwards. "Lucille?" their father called out again.

"Lucille…." Alexandre glared at his sister as he took a step toward her.

"We're going to get in trouble." Aurèle paced anxiously toward the stairs and sat down on the bottom step and watched as his sister turned around and ran toward the den with Alexandre chasing after her, the boy already knowing that she would tell their father what exactly had happened.

Once in the den which consisted of two sofas, a fireplace, and only a few other miscellaneous pieces of furniture, Lucille made her way over to where her parents were sitting facing each other on one of the sofas and threw her arms around her father in a tight embrace. Alphonse Armand, who was taken aback by his daughter's sudden show of affection, hugged her back tightly before pushing her away and holding her at arm's length, smiling at her as Alexandre walked up to them and stood by his mother who turned to look at him and smiled. People would often note how Lucille and Aurèle looked like their father; how they both had the same tan complexion and ebony hair like he did, though Lucille and Alexandre were the ones to inherit their father's green eyes. Alexandre on the other hand resembled more like his mother, both sharing a much lighter complexion and lighter hair color. All three children had noticed long ago that their parents weren't like the other children's.

When they were smaller they had noticed how their father, who worked as a blacksmith (they assumed that since he had to pound on an anvil most of the day that he was well-built from that), would frequently go on business trips, sometimes with his friend Valentin who was like an uncle to them. Recently their father had begun going on less trips and they were glad. They hated not being able to see their father for weeks and sometimes months on end. Their mother, Sabine, didn't really seem to mind him going on so many trips which they found strange, but their mother had told them once that she used to go on such trips with their father up until she became pregnant with Alexandre, and then she stopped going altogether.

"Where have you three been? I thought all of you were upstairs." Alphonse asked as Lucille glanced over to where Alexandre stood, still smiling at she did so.

"They were playing outside, Alphonse. Don't tell me you don't remember them heading out earlier." Sabine replied as she turned to look at her husband.

"I don't remember," Alphonse admitted and sat up as Lucille sat between her parents. Alphonse looked up and arched a brow at Alexandre who smiled nervously and cleared his throat. He knew that Alexandre was hiding something from him, and as his son moved to walk away he spoke up.

"How are you son?"

"Fine…." Alexandre replied warily, glancing over to his sister who grinned and placed her hands on her lap.

"I'm assuming that you three behaved while you were outside."

"Yes, we did. We behaved and didn't do anything we shouldn't have." Alexandre answered before looking back down to where his sister sat and narrowing his eyes at her. "Right, Lucille?"

Lucille's smile disappeared and she scowled at her brother, narrowing her eyes back. "Right…." she mumbled before turning her attention over to the door to see her younger brother peeking into the room before turning her attention back to her parents. Her mother eyed Alexandre skeptically for a moment before turning to look at her daughter.

"Lucille, who was 'them' you were referring to when you three came back, and what is it that you shouldn't tell _'them'_" Sabine asked her. Lucille's smiled returned when Alexandre shook his head slightly, giving her a pleading look. She ignored him however and cleared her throat, her full attention now on her parents.

"What I was saying was-" she began before Alexandre interrupted her.

"That we are so lucky to have great parents like you two…right, Lucille?" Alexandre glared at his sister again who rolled her eyes and huffed.

"No," she shook her head and shot Alexandre a look. "That wasn't it. Alexandre and Aurèle were climbing things for fun again and Aurèle jumped off a crate that was delivered to the house across the street and ended up hurting his wrist." Lucille glanced back at her brother to see him staring at her with his eyes wide open just as their parents turning to look at him.

"Where's Aurèle?" Sabine asked him. Before Alexandre could reply, his brother walked into the den, still holding his swollen wrist. With a sigh, Sabine stood up as Aurèle walked up next to his brother, frowning as she reached over and gently took hold of the youngest child's wrist.

"Its swollen." she glanced over to her husband who stood up and strode over to his wife and son, reaching over once he was close enough and took Aurèle's wrist into his hand and gently squeezed it, causing the boy to cry out in surprise and snatch his hand away. Alphonse sighed in exasperation and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"I'm in trouble, aren't I?" Aurèle asked as he rubbed his wrist even though he knew the answer to that question. Alphonse looked up after a moment and glared at both his sons who averted their gazes away from him as he began to speak.

"_Both _of you are in trouble for climbing and jumping off public property as if it were a play thing. How many times have we told you that that's dangerous? Of course you two never listen," Alphonse scolded before looking eyeing Aurèle's injury. "Alexandre, you're the eldest and you're in charge of taking care of your brother and sister which includes keeping them from harm's way. Now look at what happened to his wrist, he's going to have to go see the doctor for that."

"No I don't! It doesn't hurt that bad!" Aurèle protested, looking back up at his father again. He _hated _doctors. He didn't have anything against them, he knew that doctors did well for people but he just didn't like being treated by them. Maybe his fear stemmed from when he broke his arm at the age of for after attempting to jump from the top step from upstairs to the landing. He did remember kicking and screaming while the doctor tried to splint his arm until his father had to hold him and keep him still long enough for the doctor to finally treat him.

"Your wrist can be seriously hurt, Aurèle." Sabine said, reaching over and taking hold of her son's wrist again. Aurèle gawked at his mother, his eyes wide-open as his father moved to leave the den, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"But I don't have to see a doctor! I feel fine!"

"I'll take him to go see Franco, and you stay here and deal with Alexandre." Alphonse told his wife before placing a hand on Aurèle's shoulder and ushering him out of the room. Alexandre watched as his father and brother left before turning to look at his mother, but not before glancing over to Lucille who was sitting on the sofa now, giving him an apologetic look. He glared at her and stuck his tongue out at her.

* * *

The sun had already set half-way down the horizon when Aurèle and Alphonse began making their way back home from the clinic. The boy's wrist was now in a cast after the doctor found that the joint had not been fractured, but rather it was sprained which was fortunate since that meant that he hadn't hurt himself as badly as he had first thought. The city had quieted down now, the street they were walking down was almost completely empty save for a few people walking to wherever their destination was, several men going around and lighting up a few unlit streetlights, and drunkards staggering out of a nearby tavern, grasping bottles of liquor and screaming at each other. As Aurèle eyed the men curiously, his father pulled him closer to him and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Don't look at them for long."

"Why?" Aurèle looked up to meet his father's gaze.

"When people get drunk they can do stupid things and hurt people, so it's better if you don't draw attention to yourself." Alphonse replied. Just as Aurèle was about to ask why that had anything to do with looking at them, they heard a man call out Alphonse's name.

"Alphonse!"

Alphonse glanced over his shoulder and stopped in his tracks when he saw a man with unruly brown hair and dark eyes walking up to them.

"Valentin, what are you doing here?" Alphonse asked, smiling at the man. Valentin reached over and ruffled Aurèle's hair affectionately.

"I was just making my way back home from work." the man answered as he stopped messing up Aurèle's hair, and the latter smiled up at the man as he fixed his hair as best as he could with his uninjured hand. "So how are you little man?" Valentin asked him.

"I'm fine." Aurèle answered. From what he knew Valentin and his father were childhood friends, and were still friends to that day. Valentin's smile turned into a frown when he noticed the boy's wrist wrapped in a cast and looked up to Alphonse and gave him a quizzical look.

"What happened to his wrist?"

"He sprained it, but he's fine now and his wrist should be healed up in no time." Alphonse explained. Valentin sighed and shook his head as they began walking again.

"Boys will be boys, no?" he said, but before Alphonse could reply he began speaking again. "Listen, I have to go see Caroline and Eloise before we leave on…that 'trip' later tonight," Valentin said, referring to his wife Caroline and his four year old daughter Eloise. "So I'll meet you be the Seine at seven tonight."

Aurèle tilted his head up to look at both men, furrowing his brows in confusion. As far as he knew his father never mentioned going on another trip soon.

"What trip?" he asked curiously. Alphonse glanced down at his son before shooting Valentin a look that screamed 'shut-up', and Valentin sent him an apologetic look in return as he began walking away from them.

"I'll be there." Alphonse replied, clearly annoyed though Aurèle was confused as to why his father was annoyed with the man in the first place. When Valentin walked up to a house they were passing by (which was actually his house and not some random house he just decided to walk up to), Aurèle looked back up to his father again.

"Papa, what trip was Valentin talking about?" he asked him. Alphonse puffed out a breath and looked down to Aurèle again, studying him for a moment before looking back up.

"It's just a business trip I'm going on with Valentin." his father reluctantly answered.

"You're going on another business trip?" Alphonse looked down to see his son's brow crease as he frowned at him sadly. "How long are you going to be away this time?"

That was a question Alphonse just hated. Sometimes he didn't know for how long he would be gone, but fortunately this time he did know. "I'm only going out into the city with Valentin to take care of some business; I'll be back by tomorrow morning."

"But you _always _go on business trips and sometimes you're gone for months. Why do you go on so many?"

"Aurèle, it's something you shouldn't worry about." Alphonse replied. Aurèle simply nodded, looked down, and didn't say anything as they continued on their way back home.

Alphonse sighed, knowing that he couldn't continue lying to his children. He knew that they didn't exactly have him around all the time while they were growing up; he had missed a few of their milestones such as first steps, first words, going to school for the first time, and maybe two or three birthdays. Soon he wouldn't need to go on anymore 'business trips', though he would never be able to make up for the time he lost with them over the years. When they finally arrived back home and made their way inside, Alphonse closed the door behind him and stopped Aurèle from going toward the steps by placing a hand on his shoulder. The boy turned around to look at his father with a frown.

"I know I'm always going on trips, but they're very important. I promise that the trip I'm going on with Valentin tonight is the last one I'm ever going on. I won't be gone for weeks or months at a time anymore, I'll be home _all _the time. I just have to go on this last _very_ important trip. Do you understand?" Alphonse looked down to his son only to see him staring back. There was a moment of silence between them as they both stared at each other before Aurèle nodded.

"Yes, papa." the boy finally said and he smiled when Alphonse ruffled his hair.

"Now go." he said and watched as his son made his way upstairs.

Alphonse sighed wearily as he stood by the front door, tired from a long day of work and yawned as he made his way to the den, oblivious to the fact that his son was watching him from the landing and was making his way back down as quietly as possible, careful to skip the steps that creaked loudly when stepped on. He watched as his father stepped through the threshold and made his way over, pressing his shoulder against the wall and peeked into the room. As he stood there he noticed how quiet it was; usually there would be the sound of laughter, or his brother and sister running around the place even if he wasn't playing along with them but that wasn't the case at the moment. He figured that they were probably off spending time by themselves, either napping or some other thing to pass the time. He would have gone off to see what they were really up to but he was curious to see if his father mentioned anything to his mother about what it was he was actually off to do that night with Valentin. He found it strange that a blacksmith would go on so many business trips. Blacksmiths didn't go on business trips…did they?

His train of thought was interrupted when his father greeted somebody in the room and he turned his attention back to the den where he saw his mother seated on one of the sofas, an elderly man with hazel eyes and gray hair that he recognized at his grand-father seated next to her. Their maternal grand-father was their only living grandparent, their maternal grandmother having died from pneumonia when Alexandre was only a few months old, and both of Alphonse's parents having died long ago from old age.

"How are you Blaise?" Alphonse asked the old man who looked up and flashed a grin as Alphonse walked over and placed a kiss on the crown of Sabine's head before taking a seat on the sofa adjacent to them.

Aurèle remembered his parent's recounting once that when they were younger, how Alphonse hated being caught kissing Sabine by her father, but how he had gotten that embarrassment since then of course being married for thirteen years already he wouldn't have cared so much anymore.

"I'm just fine, thank you." Blaise answered. "And you?"

"Not bad. I want to go take a nap but I have to go meet Valentin by the river in an hour." Alphonse rubbed the bridge of his nose and exhaled.

"Ah, Alphonse?" Sabine suddenly spoke up.

"Yes?"

"How's Aurèle's wrist?

"Aurèle's wrist," Alphonse repeated as he rubbed his temples with his forefinger and thumb. "Franco said that he had only sprained it and put it in a cast." he answered, referring to Franco, the doctor that ran the clinic just a block away from the house and whom was the family doctor for as long as anybody could remember. "His wrist should be better in about a week."

"Oh yes, Sabine told me about Alexandre and Aurèle and all I can say is that boys will be boys." Blaise chuckled. "You know boys always do things and end up hurting themselves. You were a boy yourself once too, you should remember."

"I'd rather not." Alphonse shook his head and looked over to his wife who raised a brow at him. "You don't even want to know the things Valentin and I did when we were children. We were the two most notorious boys for getting in trouble back in Montréal."

"I'd imagine so." Sabine replied, albeit unimpressed.

"But the point is that all three children still have to learn that there are some things that they simply cannot do." Blaise continued. "What the boys did earlier would be considered normal to them if you two had not decided to shun away their heritage. Aurèle wouldn't have hurt himself as bad if he and Alexandre were taught the basics of free-running from a young age, but instead your boys are receiving lessons from the other boys and you know that the others are just as inexperienced."

"Father," Sabine groaned as she turned her attention back to her father. "We've already been over this. We just want them to live normal lives; which means that they won't ever have anything to do with the Brotherhood."

"I know that." Blaise replied with a frown. "But it's not right to keep them from knowing their true heritage, no matter how much you two want them to lead normal lives." Blaise relaxed into the sofa and stared at both of them from where he sat. "You know that I was an Assassin myself for a large part of my life up until I retired twenty years ago on my thirty-ninth birthday. I'm proud of my heritage, and your mother and I tried to implement that pride into you Sabine."

"I know, and you two did."

"But that changed when you entered motherhood, didn't it?"

"As far as they know we're a normal family, and we'd like to keep it that way." Sabine replied, refusing to give her father a direct answer.

"But you know that I respect your decision nonetheless." Blaise sat up in his seat and stretched his arms as he looked back and forth between Sabine and Alphonse. Alphonse sat up and turned his attention on Sabine who seemed to be lost in her thoughts. "I won't pressure you two to do anything you don't want to do because they're your children, and you two have the right to decide what's best for them. Besides, ignorance _is _bliss." Blaise stood up and took a cane that had been resting against the arm rest of the sofa he had been sitting on. He looked up and turned his attention to the threshold.

Aurèle let out a small gasp and took a step back, wondering if his grand-father had seen him or not. Had he known that he was standing right there?

"Now if you excuse me, I have to go back home." Blaise said and without much thought, Aurèle turned and rushed back to the steps, careful not to make too much noise as he did so. Deciding that it was best not to rush up the stairs to avoid making so much noise he sat on the third step and placed his injured wrist on his lap as he watched his mother and grand-father walk out of the den toward the front door.

"Papa, won't you reconsider moving in with us?" Sabine asked her father. Aurèle quietly groaned. It was a tired old argument that his mother had with his grand-father; she would always try to convince Blaise to move in with them since she hated the fact that her father lived alone, but the old man always refused her offer. Besides, he _did _only live a few minutes away.

"I've already told you that I'm just fine living by myself, Sabine." Blaise replied in a disgruntled tone as they passed by the stairs. Blaise glanced over in Aurèle's direction and paused, narrowing his eyes at the boy, giving him a skeptical look before a smile crept up on his face. Sabine followed her father's gaze to see her son tense up where he sat on the stairs and nervously returned the smile.

"You best behave from now on, boy. Don't cause too much trouble for your parents."

"Yes, grand-father." Aurèle nodded.

"How do you feel?" Sabine asked him as Blaise began toward the door again.

"Better."

"Good." she nodded and followed after Blaise, leaving her son alone.

Aurèle bit his lip as he listened to his mother speak with his grand-father by the front door, sitting up when he felt his stomach churn with anxiety. His grand-father probably did know that he had been standing there, listening to them the whole time. As far as he knew, he, his grand-father, and his father were the only ones in the family to have Eagle Vision as he had heard it called before, and though he knew it didn't exactly give the person the ability to look through walls he did know that it was useful for figuring out where somebody was hiding (something he found extremely useful during games of hide-and-seek).

If his grand-father knew that he had been standing there, then he knew that Aurèle had heard _everything. _From what he had heard his parents were trying to make them lives as normal a life as possible but from what and why? He had no clue what the whole talk about Assassins, a Brotherhood, and their heritage was about but if his grand-father and parents didn't seem fazed by such talk then did that mean that they were Assassins too?

"Why are you sitting here?"

He looked up to see Lucille making her way downstairs, eyeing him curiously.

"I…I…." he let out and paused, not sure whether or not to tell his sister what he had heard moments before.

"Are you all right?" she asked him, arching a brow as he stared at her.

"Papa is going on another trip tonight." he told her in an attempt to change the subject. Lucille frowned and continued down the stairs.

"Again?"

"He said that this is the last trip he's going on." Aurèle stood up and followed his sister as she made her way to the den where they found Alphonse sitting on the sofa with his eyes closed, holding up his head with his hand while his elbow was propped against the armrest.

"I'm going to ask him myself." she said as she walked over to their father.

"Fine." Aurèle mumbled as he watched her walk over to their father.

* * *

He watched front the top step as Alphonse yawned while the latter made his way to the front door with Sabine followed right behind him, and just as he reached the door Alphonse turned around to face his wife. Aurèle noted that he was wearing a set of robes he had seen his father wear on occasion, but whenever he or his siblings asked why he would wear them he would never give them a straight answer. But now he wondered if the reason Alphonse wore such robes had to do with what he had heard the adults talking about earlier, though he thought about the possibility of his father being an Assassin he found that he didn't really view him any differently strangely enough.

"Do you feel rested after the nap?" Sabine asked Alphonse as he straightened out his collar.

"A little." he replied. "I'm glad that this is the last mission I'm ever going on. I hate to make the children think that I'm going on business trips. What if I never came back from one? What will you have had to tell them?"

"I was thinking about that too." Sabine crossed her arms across her chest as she watched him strap on his bracer. "They're starting to suspect now; Alexandre asked me the other day why a blacksmith would have to go on business trips in the first place? It was easy to just tell them that when they were younger but they're getting older, and they aren't as gullible as they were in the past."

"Lucille and Aurèle asked me that question earlier." Alphonse let out a deep breath. "I'll finally be able to retire after this mission. I'll be able to spend more time with the children, and more time with you." Alphonse said in low voice. Sabine reached over, grabbed him by the front of his robes, and pulled him down so that he was at eye level with her.

"What are you doing here?"

"Huh?" Aurèle looked up to see Alexandre standing next to him and staring down at him. "Watching papa leave." he answered softly as he turned his attention back to his parents and Alexandre followed his gaze. Aurèle was surprised that his parents were still oblivious to the fact that they were being watched.

"There's just one thing I want to ask of you," Sabine said softly.

"What is it?"

"You're coming back home in one piece, understand? If you listen to me then I might just…reward you."

Alphonse grinned and wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer to him, eliciting a surprised cry from her. "Then that's a reward I'm looking forward to." he pressed his lips against hers, only to stop and look up when he heard somebody clear their throat and looked up to the top of the stairs. Sabine pressed her hands against his chest and pushed away from him before turning around to see Aurèle and Alexandre at the top of the stairs, watching them.

"Both of you go to your room!" she scolded, although she didn't seem as annoyed as she tried to come off to be.

"Yes, ma'am." Alexandre flashed a grin at her before turning around, tapping his brother on the shoulder just as Sabine turned to Alphonse again. Aurèle watched as his brother walked away and opened his mouth to call after him but stopped. What exactly was he going to tell him? That their father might be a killer? Instead he turned his attention back to his parents just as Alphonse chuckled and let her go.

"I'll be back later."

"Be careful." Sabine replied as she reached over and fixed his collar again.

Alphonse smiled at her and quickly pecked her on the lips before turning around and leaving the house, gently closing the door behind him. Sabine bit her lip and sighed as she turned around again and looked up to the top step just as Aurèle stood up and began making his way to his room.

* * *

**A/N: **I realize that there is more than one city called Montréal, so as a side note Alphonse is from Montréal, Gers in southwestern France.

**Edited 3/9/13: **The original draft for this chapter was much longer, but I took out a lot of unnecessary details.


	2. Heritage

**Chapter II: Heritage**

There was complete silence in the house which wasn't unusual at all at that time of the night. Usually all three children would be fast asleep, but that night only Alexandre had gone to bed while Lucille remained in their parents room with their mother, and Aurèle laid wide awake in bed, staring up at the ceiling. Moonlight leaked into the room through a crack in the curtains, dimly illuminating the room. He glanced over at the bed adjacent to his own where Alexandre was sleeping soundly with his back to him and he could hear his brother's soft snores. He had shared the same room with Alexandre for as long as he could remember while Lucille had a room of her own, not that either of the boys ever complained.

He shut his eyes and laid there for a while, trying fall asleep but when he wasn't able to he opened his eyes in frustration. Thoughts swirled around in his mind, but the one that had been plaguing him since earlier that night was that his parents were keeping something from them, and though he wanted to go ask his mother what it was that they had meant he didn't know how to go about asking her. Would he really go tell her that he had eavesdropped on them, that his father was probably a killer, and that he had overheard his grand-father saying that he used to be one?

No, he had gotten in enough trouble that day and he didn't want to get in more trouble with his parents for having listened in on a conversation that wasn't meant for him. So instead he rolled over to his side, careful not to hurt his wrist, pulled the covers up to his chin, and shut his eyes again. He eventually fell asleep.

* * *

He woke up with a start the next morning, blinking as a few rays of sunlight seeped into the room through the crack in the curtain and hit his face. He groaned irritably and covered his face with his blanket, blocking the sun. He could hear Alexandre shifting his position on his own bed and peeked through the covers to see that his brother had covered his face with his pillow. Yawning, he closed his eyes and covered his face with his blanket again and just as he was falling back to sleep the door suddenly opened. His eyes snapped open and he pulled his blanket down enough to see Lucille rushing over to Alexandre's bed and snatching the latter's pillow away, uncovering his face.

"Alexandre, get up." she said softly as she threw the pillow back on his bed. Alexandre groaned and rubbed his eyes and propped himself up with his elbows. He glared at Lucille, apparently not appreciating the fact that she barged into their room and interrupted their sleep.

"What is it?" he demanded, annoyance lacing his tone.

"She's back."

"Who's back?" Alexandre asked her as he climbed out of bed, stretching his arms and legs out until he heard a satisfying pop.

Lucille walked over to Aurèle's bed and snatched the pillow from under his head, receiving an annoyed groan in response as he turned on his other side and curled up into the fetal position, pulling his blanket up to his chin but Lucille soon snatched that away too. Aurèle groaned again and sat up in bed, turning around to glare at his siblings.

"Come on Aurèle, get out of bed." Lucille said as she threw her brother's pillow and blanket back at him. He caught both objects and laid back down in his bed, hugging his pillow as he blinked the sleep away from his eyes. What could possibly be so important that Lucille had to barge into their room and force them out of bed?

"Mother's back—" she began before Alexandre interrupted her.

"Lucille, what are you talking about?" he demanded.

"Be quiet! Maman and Valentin think that we're still sleeping." Lucille shushed before continuing. "Last night Valentin came over and told maman to go over to Franco's. She left the whole night and Valentin stayed her in her place. Now she just came back and…and I think something happened to papa." Lucille explained quickly, trying to keep her voice as low as possible before turning around and making her way out of the boy's room.

Alexandre glanced over to his brother's direction as the latter reluctantly climbed out of bed before they both followed after their sister. They made their way to the staircase where Lucille had stopped and pressed herself against the wall, peeking over the railing and downstairs to where their mother and Valentin were speaking. Alexandre walked over to her and pushed her out of the way so that he could peak downstairs, earning a glare from her. Lucille crossed her arms across her chest and pressed her back against the wall again, sliding down until she was seated on the floor. Both her brothers did what she did and they all remained silent as they listened in on the conversation going on downstairs.

"How are the children?" Sabine asked. They could hear Valentin sigh tiredly before answering.

"They're just fine. They didn't wake up once during the night."

"Good," Sabine sighed heavily and paused for a moment. "He asked to see them…and…and we talked. He said that he _wants _them to know."

"He wants them to know?" Valentin repeated in surprise. "Why?"

"I don't know. He hardly told me a thing, and he slept most of the time so I couldn't ask him." their mother replied, her voice cracking a little near the end. "How was it that he was injured so badly? You were with him-" Sabine began before Valentin cut her off.

"Sabine, listen. We were on the mission, everything was going so well until we were suddenly separated. I honestly don't know what happened to him during our separation; all I know is that when we met up again he was injured. He won't tell me what it was that had happened to him during that time."

"Mission?" Lucille whispered, half-glancing at Alexandre whose brow crinkled in confusion.

"They might be talking about somebody else." Alexandre whispered back. Aurèle turned to look at his siblings and frowned.

"They aren't."

Both Alexandre and Lucille turned their attention to him and both of them stared at their brother in confusion.

"All three of you stop eavesdropping and go get dressed!" their mother yelled from downstairs.

"I was wondering if you were going to single them out." Valentin chuckled. All three siblings tensed up and looked at each other, surprised that their mother and Valentin even knew that they were there in the first place.

"Yes maman." Alexandre hesitantly called out before standing back up and making his way to his room to change, his brother following after him while their sister made her way to her own room.

All three quickly changed from the clothes that they had slept in and into clean clothes before rushing downstairs to where their mother was waiting by the door along with Valentin. Both adults looked exhausted; there were dark bags under both their eyes which were bloodshot, and they seemed a little pale. When their mother saw them she looked relieved, and then she turned to look at Valentin who looked like he would fall asleep at any second. Hadn't he slept at all the night before?

But Aurèle wasn't focused on how tired they both looked, but rather on the robes Valentin was wearing. He had seen the man wear those robes before, robes similar to the white, red, and black ones he would see his father wearing. The man was adorned in weapons, and for a moment Aurèle was amazed at how many weapons Valentin had on his person before his mother snapped him out of his daze.

"Let's go." she said as she opened the front door.

All three children didn't say a word the whole way to the clinic. They already had an idea of where they were going and were anxious to get there. While they walked, Sabine and Valentin spoke to each other in hushed voices, but Alexandre was able to catch 'doctor', 'blood-poisoning', and 'injury' from their conversation. He wasn't sure if his brother and sister had caught those words but didn't ask them. He was sure his mother wouldn't be happy that he was trying to eavesdrop on their conversation.

When they finally reached the clinic, they stepped inside and were almost immediately greeted by an elderly man with graying hair and dark eyes that they all immediately recognized as Franco, the doctor. The man had on a sorrowful look, which seemed out of place for his usually cheerful demeanor. Franco glanced over his shoulder for a few seconds to look at a door across the room before turning back to look at everybody once again.

"He asked to see the children, didn't he?" Franco asked Sabine who merely nodded in response. The old man sighed wearily and ran his hand down his face. "I don't exactly agree with letting the children see him in the state he is in, but if he wishes it then to it will be."

"I think it would be best if we just let them go see him by themselves." Valentin commented, and Sabine turned to look at him before looking back down to her three children whose eyes were trained on her. She reluctantly nodded in agreement. "Yes, I suppose you're right."

Franco gave her a sad smile before pointing to the door across the room. "He's right in there."

Alexandre and Aurèle followed his gaze while Lucille looked back up to her mother, frowning.

"Go see your father in that room." Sabine said softly. Aurèle looked up to meet his mother's gaze, and just as he and Lucille were going to ask what it was that had happened to their father, Alexandre began walking toward the door.

"He's injured, isn't he?" Alexandre asked as he paused and waited for his mother to answer. But Sabine didn't answer him, and instead the woman turned to speak to Valentin and Franco.

Alexandre grumbled and continued making his way to the door, his brother and sister now following after him. Neither said a word as they passed through the shop to get to the door. The place smelled of herbs and something else that he couldn't quite name. It was on the tip of his tongue and he wanted to say that the place also smelled like spices but that wasn't the right word. They passed by a table with various bottles and jars filled with ointments, medicines, and elixirs, and there were also a few plants scattered around on the table.

When he finally reached the door he hesitantly turned the door knob, and pushed it open to see his father lying on a bed. He was covered in a layer of sweat, his hair stuck to his scalp in a wet mess and his usually tan complexion was now flushed. He was taking quick, deep breaths and he looked somewhat disoriented as he laid there, a blanket thrown over his body. Alphonse blinked as his eyes landed on his children.

"Come here." Alphonse waved weakly waved his hand for them to come. Lucille pushed past Alexandre and hesitantly walked over to her father, her brothers following after.

"What happened to you?" Alexandre asked him once he was standing by the bed. Alphonse closed his eyes and shook his head.

"I…I…" he paused and licked his lips, cracking his eyes open to look at all three of his children. Lucille sat on the bed of the bed, while her brothers simply stood by the bed, not knowing what to do. "This isn't the time for those types of questions. You can ask your mother later…." Alphonse replied, closing his eyes again.

"Maman says that you have blood-poisoning." Aurèle suddenly said, and his father's eyes snapped open before looking over to his youngest child. Alexandre turned to look at his brother before turning his attention back to his father.

"She told you?" Alphonse asked him hoarsely as he tried sitting up a little in bed, but stopped when he felt a jolt of pain run up his stomach and stopped. He rested his head back down on the pillow and blinked.

"Are you all right?" Lucille asked him, gazed at her father with deep concern. Alphonse looked over to his daughter and nodded, smiling weakly.

"I'm just fine." he then looked back to Aurèle and took another deep breath. "Aurèle, who told you that I have blood-poisoning?"

"I heard Valentin and maman talking about it."

Alphonse groaned and rubbed his face. "Yes, it's true. It would have been pointless to keep it from you three… all of you would have found out anyway."

"Papa, what happened to you? How'd you get injured?" Lucille demanded.

"That's not important right now." Alphonse replied, closing his eyes again. "Listen…I want you three to behave. I won't always be around, and I would love to know that you three will always take care of each other and your mother."

Lucille frowned and gazed down at her father with a look of great sorrow, which surprised Alphonse. He had never seen his daughter so sad before. "You're going to die, aren't you?" she asked him. He was caught by surprised yet again by his daughter, but this time by her boldness with such a question.

"Lucille…." Alexandre made his disapproval of the question known, but he avoided his father's gaze and looked down at his feet instead while Aurèle picked at a loose thread from the blanket, trying to avoid looking at his father.

Alphonse sighed despairingly and took his arms out from underneath the blanket, taking hold of his daughter's wrist and pulling her down for a hug. Lucille hugged him back as tightly as she could, taking in a shuddery breath.

"You have a horrible fever." she stated.

"I know." her father nodded and let her go. Lucille sat up in bed again and looked down to her hands, blinking as her eyes began stinging. "Remember what I told you three." Alphonse said before glancing over to his sons who were still avoiding looking at him. "And I don't want you two to get into too much trouble."

Both boys looked up to meet their father's gaze. Aurèle frowned at his father as he stopped picking at the thread.

"Stop talking like you're really going to die." he said, his voice cracking a little at the end. He had heard his mother and Valentin talking to each other, how there was a small chance of survival from blood-poisoning.

Aurèle looked back down, and glared at the thread he had been picking at before his father reached over and grabbed his uninjured wrist, pulling him down toward him and wrapping his arms around him in a tight hug. Aurèle returned the hug and didn't say a word as his father reached over and gently grabbed Alexandre's wrist, the latter looking up to meet his father's eyes.

Before Alexandre could say something, the door to the room opened and their mother stepped in, smiling sadly as she walked over to the bed.

"Valentin's going to take you three home now." she said as Alphonse glanced over to her.

"Right now?" Lucille whined.

"Yes, right now." Alphonse agreed before pushing Aurèle away. "Remember that I love you three." he said, taking a good look at his three children. Aurèle nodded and followed his sister to the door while Alphonse continued to hold Alexandre's wrist. The man smiled at his eldest son who smiled back sadly before Sabine placed a hand on his shoulder. Alphonse watched as his wife and children left the room, closing the door behind them.

* * *

_September 29th, 1780_

It had been at least two hours already since they arrived back home from the cemetery, and the house had been in complete silence that entire time. Neither of the three children, who usually made so much noise that they would occasionally drive their parents crazy, were making noise at all. Blaise and Sabine were talking to each other in the kitchen while Alexandre, Lucille, and Aurèle spent most of the time in the den. At some point Lucille had gotten bored doing absolutely nothing but then again she didn't want to do anything. She was more restless than anything actually. She eventually took to looking out the window, watching as people walked by the front of the house minding their own business. With a groan she turned around to see her brothers sitting on one of the sofas, each one sitting at one end and not even sparing a glance at each other.

Lucille walked over to the sofa they were sitting at and plopped down on the spot in between them before reclining into her seat and stared at the empty fireplace across the room. For now it was useless but as the days become colder they were going to begin using it again. As she continued to stare at the fireplace her chest suddenly tightened and she bit her lip as tears started blurring her vision but she quickly blinked them away. The past few days had been hard on them after hearing the news that they would never see their father ever again, but she had comforted herself those past few days with the fact that she, her siblings, and mother were at least able to see him one last time before he died. The house felt emptier without him now. How horrible that empty feeling felt.

A few more minutes passed and nobody said a thing. Lucille looked at Aurèle from the corner of her eyes to see him picking at his cast before she looked over to Alexandre who had rested his head on the armrest and was looking toward the direction of the window before looking toward the threshold as their mother walked into the room, her eyes bloodshot and slightly puffy but her expression lacked sorrow now. Sabine had been grieving over her husband's death the past few days, particularly the day of his death where she cried non-stop that day.

Sabine rubbed her eyes and cleared her throat catching her children's attention.

"Children, there's something important that I want to tell you." She announced as she sat on the sofa across from them. Alexandre looked over to his mother from where he sat, not moving an inch while Aurèle went back to picking his cast but looked up at his mother again after a few seconds. Lucille on the other hand had her eyes glued on her mother from the time she entered the room. What could she possibly tell them that was so important?

"What is it?" Lucille asked her curiously.

"Your father and I didn't want you three to know this, but things have changed and…it was your father's final wish that you three know."

"Know what?" Alexandre demanded, turning his full attention on his mother now.

"Was he an Assassin?" Aurèle spoke up, catching everybody's attention.

"Aurèle…how do you know that?" Sabine asked him in confusion.

"I was listening to you, papa, and grand-father talking yesterday."

"_Was _he an Assassin?" Lucille asked her mother. Sabine stared at Aurèle for a moment before glancing over at her two other children and let out a deep sigh.

"Yes, he was. Now let me explain…."

* * *

_October 1st, 1780_

The air was crisp and it was only getting older by the minute as the day drew to a close, the sun almost all the way past the horizon line and the sky now a dark blue with a few stars visible. He knew that he had to go home, that his mother was sure to be mad at him if he came just after nightfall but Aurèle didn't care. Home _was_ only a few minutes away anyway. He didn't even want to go home where he was sure to find his family still grieving his father's death in some way and at the moment he didn't want to be reminded that he would never see his father again.

The house felt empty without Alphonse around anymore, and so Blaise had decided to finally move in with them as a result but Alexandre suspected that he finally gave in to their mother's offer only out of pity; nobody could ever fill the void their father's death had left behind but their grand-father had explained that he was only moving in to help Sabine raise the three children. Of course now Lucille had to move in to their mother's room for the time being since she was forced to give her room to Blaise and obviously she wasn't happy about that. Instead of heading back home where he would have to face the harsh reality that he Alphonse was gone he remained he stared down at his reflection in the river, his arms folded under his head as he leaned against the bridge railing while the boy next to him did the same thing.

"So your mother told you three about what your father used to do?" Claude asked him. Aurèle turned his head to look at him and nodded. People often remarked how much Claude looked like his father, down to the dark, curly hair and brown eyes. Aurèle had known the boy since they were both around the age of five when their father's met up with each other to discuss business with each other, but neither of the boys could remember what that supposed business was.

"Yes," Aurèle nodded. "My mother told me that your father is one too."

"An Assassin?" Claude said softly, glancing over his shoulder to make sure that nobody was listening to their conversation before turning his attention back to Aurèle who scowled and pushed himself away from the railing.

"Yes, that." he replied bitterly. He found it amazing and highly frustrating how everybody seemed to know that his family consisted of assassins, even his friend knew that Alphonse was an Assassin and a master assassin at that while he and his siblings grew up completely oblivious of their family's true heritage but of course Claude knew. He had grown up his whole life knowing about the Assassins because his parents never tried to hide that from him. But when he found out that Claude knew he felt out of place in the Brotherhood but his mother insisted that he and his sibling were born into it. "She said that she used to be one herself before Alexandre was born, and that all three of us were born into the Brotherhood."

"But why didn't your parents want you three to know you were born Assassins?"

"My grand-father says that it was because they wanted all three of us to live normal lives, but papa changed his mind before he died and he told my mother that it was better that we knew."

"Why would your father want you three to know now?"

"I don't know."

"Doesn't your maman know?"

"She doesn't know either, but she says that she thinks that Valentin knows but that he won't tell her."

"What about your grand-father?"

"He said that he doesn't know either."

"Hmmm…." Claude hummed as he turned his attention back to the Seine. "It's getting late." he stated as he glanced over his shoulder and watched as a man lit up a few lamp posts nearby. As soon as he said that they both heard a woman call out for him.

"Claude! Come back home!" his mother, Ivonne, called. Claude groaned and they both looked over to see Ivonne standing at the doorway of a house nearby, waiting for her son. Claude turned to look at Aurèle as he reluctantly began making his way back home.

"I'll see you tomorrow." he said before breaking out into a sprint to where his mother was standing in front of his house.

With a groan, Aurèle turned around and began making his way back to his own house where his mother was sure to be waiting for him. It was only a few minutes later that he finally reached home and made his way inside only to see his mother already standing by the door with her arms crossed across her chest.

"Where have you been?" Sabine asked him as he closed the door behind him. She didn't seem angry with him at all, but concerned more than anything.

"Near the Seine with Claude."

"Do you know how late it is? Your brother and sister came back _before _nightfall."

"Sorry." Aurèle apologized and Sabine could hear the sincerity in his tone. She sighed and nodded, her arms still crossed over her chest.

"I know you are just…try to come home before it gets dark next time."

Aurèle nodded. "Yes, maman."

Sabine smiled at him and turned around before making her way to the kitchen. Aurèle stood there for a moment, contemplating on whether or not to go upstairs and see what his siblings were up to or go see what his mother was cooking for dinner. His stomach answered that question for him however with a loud growl and without much thought he made his way to the kitchen after his mother. As he reached the threshold he looked into the kitchen to see his grand-father sitting at the table with a hand wrapped around a steaming cup of either coffee or tea while his mother took a seat on the chair across from him. Aurèle stepped out of the kitchen before either of them could realize he was there and hid behind the wall instead, peeking into the room as his grand-father began speaking.

"He's home." Blaise said before taking a sip from the cup. It wasn't a question.

"Yes." Sabine nodded as she picked at her nails while her father set his cup back down and studied her.

"I can't imagine how you feel right now Sabine, because I _know _how you feel; it was horrible when your mother died. Now, however, you have to take care of your children, and you know I will always help you out with them, and I'm assuming that Valentin will too. Alphonse was like a brother to him."

Sabine looked back up and smiled at him and he smiled back in turn. "Yes…I know. Thank you."

Blaise sat there for a moment in deep thought as Sabine stared down at her hands before he broke the silence. "Sabine, do you plan on allowing them to be part of the Brotherhood?"

Sabine immediately looked up to meet her father's gaze, apparently taken aback by the question but she seemed to have been expecting Blaise to bring the subject up eventually. "Do you mean do I intend to let them start their training once they're old enough?"

"Well Alexandre will be old enough in five years, but that's still years away."

"I don't _want _them becoming Assassins when they're older. I only told them about their Assassin heritage because that was what Alphonse asked of me, but I never promised anybody that I was going to allow them to be involved with the Brotherhood." Sabine replied in annoyance. Her father nodded his head as he picked up his cup of coffee and held it up to his lips.

"They're children of Assassins, so it's expected that they will be Assassins. Come to think of it…they don't really have a choice in the matter now that they know. Alphonse chose to have them know their heritage for a reason; don't you think that reason was also because he wanted them to take up his place in case something happened to him?"

Sabine hesitated before responding as her father drank a bit of his coffee before setting the cup back down on the table. "I…suppose so…."

"Alphonse never told you what he had to do during that mission, did he?"

Sabine shook her head. "No, he kept telling me that it was confidential."

"Didn't Valentin tell you?"

"No, he won't tell me either, and I don't think he will anytime in the future. I asked him a day before the funeral and he said that he was ordered to keep silence over what had happened."

Blaise scowled. "Confidential my…." the old man paused and sighed. "The truth has to come out someday, I'm sure." he assured his daughter before standing up and picking up his cup of coffee. "I think I'll retire soon, and in case I do before all of you go to bed—good night." Blaise stood up and began making his way out of the kitchen.

Aurèle pushed himself off the wall and just as he was about to make his way upstairs Blaise stepped out into the hallway and turned to look at him. He smiled at his grandson and shook his head. "Did you hear any of _that?_"

"I—" Aurèle began before Blaise interrupted him.

"I won't discourage you from eavesdropping, but keep in mind that there are some conversations that were meant to be kept private. This conversation I had with your mother being an example. Understood?"

"Yes, grand-father."

"Good." Blaise nodded before continuing to make his way upstairs, leaving his grandson standing in the middle of the hall.

* * *

**A/N: **I know that you can't die that quickly from infection well these days anyway, but I did some research and found that wounds can get infected almost immediately after the skin is broken and major signs of infection can start appearing within eight hours. If the infection is severe enough then you can get Sepsis fairly quickly and you can die from it too in about...two to five days? I'll have to look that up again eventually...if I remembered to. And though it wasn't mentioned, but blood loss also had to do with Alphonse's death so there you go.

In the original draft when I first posted this, I included the death scene but have since taken it out and decided to do a short time skip instead. Though I don't know if it made the chapter better or not without it.

* * *

_**Edited: 3/10/13**_


	3. The Storm

**Chapter III: The Storm**

_Paris  
__July 13th, 1789_

"…you have to wake-up."

Most people woke-up when the first rays of sunlight leaked into their rooms; others had gotten into the habit of waking up when the bell tower would strike six in the morning, but he however had never gotten into the habit. He wasn't much of a morning person, and besides that he was a heavy sleeper. He had been told before that he was the polar opposite of Alexandre, who would wake up at the slightest sound. That _would _have to change.

"…wake-up, you're late for work."

He cracked his eyes open as Lucille nudged him, and he let out an irritated groan before turning onto his side and faced the wall, grabbing his pillow and covering his head with it. Work…. He would go and get ready for work in a few more minutes. Just as he closed his eyes again he felt his being snatched away right from under his head and his blanket followed after.

"I _said _wake-up!" He could hear the frustration in his sister's tone, and just as he decided to finally get up he heard clanking and as he turned to see what his sister was doing he looked up to see her tipping a bucket over his head.

Before he had time to react, he felt the cold liquid splash onto him, letting out a loud gasp as he felt the air knocked out of his lungs. For a moment he panicked at not being able to breathe and quickly sat up, letting out a series of short coughs. When he finally caught his breath he glared up at his sister to see a young woman about the age of twenty with dark curly hair and green eyes staring down at him with an amused look.

"What the hell is wrong with you, Lucille?!" he exclaimed angrily as he scooted over to the edge of the bed, running his hand down his face and combing his now damp hair back as droplets of water dripped down onto the floor.

"Grand-father's orders." Lucille said with a grin as she held the bucket under her arm. "He said to wake you up with a good cold bucket of water, which honestly was really fun. I should try that again when you refuse to get up."

"Please do." Aurèle replied sarcastically.

"Sorry, but grand-father stayed home from work today because he isn't feeling well. He sent me to wake you up now that you've slept in once again so that you can head over to the shop and finally help Alexandre, which you should have gone to do hours ago. It's ten-thirty. I suggest you get ready and rush over there."

He cursed under his breath and stood up just as Lucille turned to leave the room, which wasn't the same room he and Alexandre had occupied during their childhood. When they were finally old enough they were allowed to move everything up to the attic, a part of the house their parents didn't like them going up to as children. The siblings assumed that Sabine and Alphonse were only afraid that one, if not all three of them, would accidentally get locked up there. It was just a room with a lone window, so what harm did it really do to go up there and play? Of course they stopped venturing up there for a while before the boys claimed it as their room, surrendering their old room to Lucille who was glad to finally have her own room after having to share one with her mother for several years

Without much thought, Aurèle quickly changed from the damp clothes he was wearing into clean ones, put on his boots, and made his way to the small staircase that lead to the door of the attic and made his way to the washroom where he quickly washed up before finally starting to make his way downstairs.

As he reached the bottom step, he was greeted by his mother who was making her way out of the kitchen holding a saucer with a steaming cup on it with a piece of cloth wrapped around it.

"Good morning." Sabine greeted her son who stepped out of the way to let his mother make her way upstairs.

"Good morning mère...where are you taking that?" he asked her curiously. Sabine paused and turned to look down the steps to where her son stood.

"Your grand-father isn't feeling well, I'm sure Lucille told you that already?" Sabine replied with a hint of amusement to her tone. Did she seriously approve what Lucille had done? "I'm taking a cup of tea up to him before he takes a nap. He insisted on going to work today, but I was able to convince him to stay home until he's better so he put your brother in charge of supervising the shop until then."

"Is grand-father feeling any better now?" Aurèle asked her. His mother turned around to continue making her way upstairs and glanced over her shoulder to look at him.

"He says that he's feeling only a little better." Sabine answered him before turning around again. "Now you better go, you're late but I'm sure you're aware of that."

"Right…." Aurèle turned around as his mother finally reached the second floor, and continued over to the front door and made his way out of the house, making a mental note of going to visit his grandfather, but he'd let the old man take a nap first before going to go see him in another few hours.

Once he was outside he was amazed at how humid it was and rolled up his sleeves before making his way toward the blacksmith's, the shop being only about a fifteen minute walk from home. The shop was actually his grandfather's (though it also belonged to the city), and was the place Blaise worked at while he was still an active Assassin. It was also the shop that Alphonse began working at when Alexandre was only a newborn, and later the man permanently took up the vocation of blacksmith after Lucille was born, a vocation which he had used as a cover-up for the next few years of his children's lives.

It was also where both Aurèle and Alexandre were sent to work at once they were old enough, and after years of working there Alexandre was the only one of the two Blaise trusted with to look over the shop whenever he couldn't. It was Blaise who had helped Sabine raise her children, with Valentin only occasionally helping her as well and she was extremely grateful for what they had done for her in the end even though both had a lot to do with her sons becoming Assassins in the end, something she was opposed to.

Aurèle picked up his pace once he finally reached the street the shop was on, and when he was finally in front of the shop somebody walked out of the door on the side of the building and stepped out into the street.

"So you finally decided to show up when I'm leaving the shop." Alexandre said, clearly annoyed as he walked past his brother. They were both about the same height now than they were when they were children though Alexandre was only taller by an inch.

"You're leaving?" Aurèle asked as he turned around to see his brother starting to make his way down the street. Alexandre paused and turned around to look at him.

"I'm not sure if I'll return to the shop later or not. I was only supposed to check to see if people are doing their jobs while I do my job—I'm just supervising. So I left the shop with Jermaine and if I don't return later then he's closing up today." Alexandre explained, naming one of the oldest staff members of his grandfather's shop. "Most of the staff is here today and it was busy this morning, but sales have slowed down since then so right now I'm going to headquarters."

"What for?"

"I was told yesterday night that Sylvain wanted to see me as soon as possible, and right now is a good time to go." Alexandre answered, referring to the leader of the Parisian Assassins. "You're not staying here, you're coming with me."

"Why?"

"I'd rather take you with me than for you to fuck up an order again." Alexandre grinned as Aurèle shot him a glare.

"That was an accident," he replied defensively. "I only messed up an order _that one time._"

"An accident that cost us coin." Alexandre retorted in a serious tone as he turned around and continued walking down the street, Aurèle walking alongside him. "I'd rather take you with me, just in case."

Aurèle grumbled something indistinctly before following after his brother who was already half-way across the street. Amazing how Alexandre treated him like a child.

Close to nine years after Alphonse's death, they were both living in the world their parents had tried so hard to keep away from them for the better part of their lives. Besides that they were both training to be Assassins, both having started their training at the age of seventeen respectively which did upset their mother to some extent, and though Alexandre was a few years away from becoming a master assassin Aurèle was nowhere close to becoming one with only two years of training. Lucille was the only one spared from such training under her grandfather's insistence that she live as normal a life as possible.

Of course both brothers had to get used to the idea that they might become Assassins while they were still children, and as time passed by all three children were unfazed by the world they had been unexpectedly introduced to. Assassins and Templars were something they were used to hearing about after nine years, and the thought of becoming Assassins, which was something that they would never have agreed to or dreamed of nine years prior, didn't bother them as much as it used to. In fact, Blaise had managed to incorporate pride for their heritage into all three of his grandchildren just as he had with his daughter.

"Do you at least have an idea about why Sylvain would want to see you?" Aurèle asked him.

"It had something do with the news from yesterday, I'm no completely sure." Alexandre answered, and Aurèle immediately knew what news he was talking about.

The previous day news had reached the city that the king had fired his financial minister, the same man who saved the country from going into bankruptcy. News had reached the assassins first however, and the assassins in turn relayed the information to the public in order to create civil unrest. The Assassin saw it as an opportunity to encourage the people to fight the injustice for a change in hopes that everybody else in the country would follow suit, an idea that got after being inspired by the revolution over in the New World overseas. So far their strategy was working.

"We're finally here." Alexandre stated once they reached the old bell tower in which the entrance to the Assassin headquarters of the city was located.

They both entered through a door at the side of the tower, and made their way down a long staircase after checking that the entrance door was closed shut behind them. They both then descended down the steps until they reached a landing, where they had to descend down yet another set of steps that lead to a large room decorated with paintings that had been collected over the years from artists in the city. There were also portraits of several of the greatest Assassins hanging on the walls along with red tapestries with the Assassin crest sewn on them in white. The room was illuminated by multiple candelabras set around it, and by a large chandelier hanging overhead. There were a few bookshelves lining the walls, and a few armchairs were placed nearby said shelves so anybody could sit and read if they wished. At the right of the room was a doorway leading to various other rooms such as the armory, a larger library, among others. To the left of the room was another doorway that lead to sleeping quarters where a quarter of the city's assassin's stayed.

Any new recruits entering the den for the first time were usually shocked by how a simple, old abandoned bell tower could disguise the entrance to such a large underground facility, much like how Alexandre, Aurèle, and Lucille were shocked when their mother first brought them there.

They made their way over to the right entrance on the other side of the room and continued on toward the grand master's office, passing by the library and gallery on their way.

"Do you think he'll be annoyed that you brought my along? He did want to speak to you after all, and you know how…odd he can be at times." Aurèle asked Alexandre as they neared Sylvain's office.

"Anything he has to say to me he can say in front of you too. I don't really care if he has a problem with that." Alexandre replied just as they stopped in front of the man's office, and just as he was about to knock on the door it opened and he jumped back, startled. Standing in the threshold was a man who looked to about in his early to mid-forties, possibly the same age as their mother, with dark hair that was starting to gray now cut to just above his ear, and dark bags were hanging under his dark brown eyes. The man looked exhausted despite not showing any signs of actually being tired.

"Is that so?" the man raised a brow at Alexandre who cleared his throat and opened his mouth to say something before the man opened the door to the room wider before walking back in. "If that's the case, then both of you come in here."

Both siblings exchanged looks before doing as told. The room wasn't huge, but it wasn't small either. The walls were painted a dark red and a few bookshelves lined the walls as well as a few portraits; there was also a large ornamental rug thrown on the floor and there was a large desk near the wall adjacent to the door. Papers were scattered all around the desk and the man walked over and tried stacking some of the papers into a neat pile.

"I thought I sent for you last night." Sylvain said as he walked over to the other side of the desk, rubbing the undersides of his eyes as he stifled a yawn.

"You did, I just wasn't able to come until right now." Alexandre replied and the man looked up to him and frowned.

"Your father would have gotten out of his way to come here if he had received such a message, especially at a time like this." the man chastised before letting out a deep sigh and laying his hands flat down against his desk. "I'm sorry, but it's the truth. You two are much too lax when it comes to the matters of the Brotherhood." Sylvain offered them a sympathetic look.

That look, the man had given them the same look so many times since their father died and they hated it. Alexandre, Aurèle, and Lucille had long ago decided that they did not need anybody to give them their pity, especially pity from their mother's ex-suitor.

They had known the man their whole lives, but never knew that he was also an Assassin until months after his father's death when he became the new leader of the Parisian Assassins, his predecessor having died. And at the same time that they found out that he was an Assassin they were told that he was one of their mother's suitors as well as one of Sabine's childhood friends. Their mother turned him down many times, more so when she met their father and finally Sylvain just stopped chasing after Sabine once she married Alphonse. Despite the fact that their father had married the woman he attempted to court, Sylvain remained good friends with Alphonse or so they had been told.

"So what was it that you needed me for?" Alexandre asked sourly. Aurèle quickly glanced at his brother before turning his attention back to Sylvain. He knew that Alexandre hated it when somebody would say that their father was better at something than he was. Aurèle figured that it was probably because he took those kinds of comments as insults, and he also took them to mean that he would never stoop up to their father's level as an Assassin which Alexandre actually seemed determined to do.

"Right," Sylvain stood up straighter and cleared his throat as he looked back down to his desk and quickly skimmed through a document he has rested his fingers on.

"I would have preferred that I could speak alone with you, but your family is bound to find out anyway so I have no problem with your brother being here." Sylvain glanced over to Aurèle who only remained quiet. "I sent for you because I have an assassination contract for you. This target is especially important so listen closely." Sylvain looked back down to the document in front of him. "Your target is the governor of the Bastille, Bernard-René de Launay. You already know the controversy surrounding the Bastille, it being a prison and all and the rumors of torture there. However he is a target because he is one of the Templars most important allies. I will not reveal how he is important to them, that is confidential as of now and it is not important for you to know. But what is important is that you act." Sylvain explained before looking back up to meet Alexandre's gaze.

"But why me? Why not a Master Assassin?" Alexandre asked and Sylvain grinned.

"All Assassins have to start assassinating important Templar figures at some point. How do you think your father became the great Assassin he was?" Sylvain replied and Alexandre glared at him. Aurèle shifted in his feet, letting out a breath. Again did Sylvain just hit one of his brother's nerves.

"Why are the Assassins doing all of this though? Spreading rumors and such?" Aurèle asked curiously, catching Sylvain's attention. The man smiled in response.

"The specifics are confidential, as I stated before. Besides, I'm sure that you know that all this is being done in order to push the citizens to start a change for themselves." Sylvain answered him before turning his gaze over to Alexandre.

"Alexandre, I'm waiting for your answer."

Alexandre huffed and nodded. "Fine, I'll do it."

"Very well. Today I have sent out several men and women to create even more civil unrest. And you won't be the only one with an important assassination target tomorrow."

"Can we go now?" Alexandre asked a bit impatiently. Sylvain continued grinning as he nodded and waved his hand.

"You two can go now."

Alexandre turned around and grabbed his brother by the arm and practically dragged him out of the room, closing the door on their way out. Once they were far enough from Sylvain's office, he let go of Aurèle and huffed.

"I hate that man." Alexandre grumbled.

"You hate him just because he used to be one of mother's suitors, don't you?"

"No," Alexandre glanced over to his brother, shooting him a look. Aurèle arched a brow at him and grinned.

"Of course not, especially not after how he tried to woo mother after father's death." Aurèle continued.

"Aurèle, just shut-up. Please."

* * *

_Paris  
July 14th, 1789_

Alexandre had woken up a little later than usual that morning, and when he did finally wake up he laid in bed, not willing to get it up at all. He wanted to sleep the day away but that wasn't going to be possible. After a long while of just laying in bed, he eventually got up to get ready for the day ahead. Having never been told specifically when the best time to strike would be (and have forgotten to ask), he didn't go out to carry his contract immediately after finally getting up when was sometime before eleven in the morning. He washed up and ate breakfast, taking his sweet time with each task. His target wasn't going anywhere, not with how riled up the citizens were no there was no doubt that they wouldn't let him or any other official leave the city without a fight.

He was stalling and he knew it, and it was a little after midday when he finally decided to go off and get the impending mission over with. He changed from the clothes he had slept in into black breeches, a white undershirt, and put on the red, white, and gray assassin robes he had grown accustomed to before putting on his boots. He then strapped on his hidden blades, told his family that he'd be back later that day, especially to his grand-father who he decided to visit before leaving. He had entered his grandfather's room to see him lying in bed, looking as bored as humanly possible. It was hard for him to believe that his grand-father used to be one of the best in the city many years ago compared to how fragile he looked now. When Blaise looked over to the door and saw his grandson he perked up a little.

"I'm leaving…." Alexandre told him as he stood by the doorway. Blaise sat up in bed and stretched his arms out, nodding as he did so. The man had aged more in the past nine years, his hair now a mixture of gray and white and his wrinkles more defined, fortunately though he was still fit enough to go to work if only his health weren't holding him back.

"I can see that."

"Are you feeling any better?"

"Yes, much better than yesterday. And Alexandre?"

"Yes?"

"Remember to be careful." Blaise told him.

Alexandre nodded. "I will." he said before leaving the room. The old man was doing much better than the day before much to his relief.

He made his way downstairs and to the door, but before he left the house he glanced over his shoulder to get one last look of home before finally leaving, heading out to make his way to the Bastille. He expected it to be a somewhat easy mission. Alexandre tried to take to the rooftops to get to the Bastille faster, but there were far too many guards supervising them so he decided to take to the street instead. Usually there would be people walking around during that time of the day—running errands or heading off to work, or even working already. But the streets were almost completely deserted which was strange, and he was beginning to feel a little uncomfortable being outside. He continued walking however, glancing around him, and alert to anything.

He had been walking for at least thirty minutes already, getting closer and closer to the Bastille, his stomach twisting in anxiety but he couldn't figure out why so. He had gone on missions alone before and he didn't see why that time was any different, but there he was, feeling anxious. He continued walking in complete silence was startled when he heard somebody call out his name.

"Hey Alexandre!"

He stopped in his tracks and unsheathed one of his hidden blades out of reflex and looked around until he spotted somebody standing on a rooftop above him. Sighing, he sheathed his blade again as the man chuckled.

"Paranoid?" the man, whom he knew as Gabriel, asked before jumping down effortlessly, only grunting a bit when he landed on the ground before standing up straight. The man was about two years older than him and had brown hair and eyes to match. "What are you doing out here? Were you assigned a mission today as well?"

Alexandre nodded, scratching the back of his neck, suddenly feeling embarrassed for having reacted the way he did.

"Yes, I have to go to the Bastille." Alexandre answered him, relaxing a bit. He had known the man since the day he first started his assassin training, and Gabriel had been the person he had been assigned with on his first mission.

"Right, the prison. I just came from that direction actually." Gabriel remarked. "There's a huge crowd in front of it right now, mostly the working-class people. From what I understand they're demanding gunpowder. You better get there before the crowd decides to take your target first."

"A crowd?" Alexandre repeated.

"Yes, a crowd. Before you run off, I'll give you some advice—don't try infiltrating the Bastille. If you do then the probability of you getting out of this mission alive won't really be that high."

"Why…." Alexandre began before stopping. He wanted to ask him why he would think so, but instead nodded in response. He didn't know why but he thought that he should take Gabriel's advice seriously. "Right, thanks." he thanked before turning around and continuing on his way. He glanced over his shoulder to see if Gabriel was still there but the man was gone. Frowning, he looked back up.

A few minutes later he broke out into a full sprint, deciding that he had stalled the mission enough already and should get to the Bastille as soon as possible. When he realized he was already walking the streets that led toward the prison he climbed up onto the rooftops so he could get a better look at what was happening with the crowd Gabriel had told him was assembled in front of it, mindful of looking out for any guards that could have been nearby. After seeing that there were in fact no guards anywhere near him, he ran the rest of the way toward the Bastille on the rooftops before stopping when he saw a large crowd in front of the prison.

The place resembled a castle with eight stone towers, and there were usually patrols around the prison but he couldn't see any. What he did see was the crowd that Gabriel had mentioned walking outside of the prison in waves, cheering and chanting as a few men in front of the large group of people practically dragged a man out of the prison, a man who he recognized from where he stood as his target: Bernard-René de Launay. He had seen the man a few times before over the years so Alexandre couldn't have possibly mistaken him for someone else.

Cursing under his breath, Alexandre decided to follow the crowd from the rooftops where he could hear de Launay screaming. Alexandre made his way down from the rooftops and blended into the crowd, making his way to the front until he was only feet away from where his target was. The roar of the crowd was overwhelming and it felt as though his eardrums would burst at any second as he pushed by people, not taking his eyes off the man who was struggling in the front trying to escape from his captor's holds. **  
**  
"Release me at once!" he could hear the man scream, and Alexandre took a deep breath as he neared him. "Let me go damn it!"

Alexandre had gotten close enough to see that the old man had been beaten, blood staining his uniform and his face was slightly bruised. The thought of taking yet another life was starting to make him feel anxious, but he took deep breaths through his nose as he released the catch on his hidden blade, balling his hand into a fist in the process. He didn't know how the crowd would react when he finally took his prey; would they erupt into chaos? Well the assassination had to be done anyway; he'd worry about the aftermath later.

"Let. Me. _Go!" _de Launay shouted to the top of his lungs as he kicked at one of the men holding him, hitting him in the groin. The man let de Launay go, holding his groin as his face contorted into that of pain though he kept walking, gritting his teeth as de Launay tried writhing free from the remaining man's grip, turning to look at the crowd, but just as he did so Alexandre pushed past a few people and lunged toward his target, knocking him down and sinking his blade into the man's throat, surprising the man who had been holding onto de Launay as he let him go to avoid being taken down with him.

Alexandre could hear a few gasps from the crowd most of the people, who were completely oblivious to what had happened walking around them, though others noticed and started screaming. He ignored them though as de Launay gasped, his eyes widening in horror when Alexandre retracted his hidden blade from his throat.

"Assassin." he croaked, suddenly grinning which caught Alexandre by surprise.

"What are you smiling about?" Alexandre asked, now annoyed as he kneeled up, clutching the front of the man's uniform, his hand, and part of his left sleeve now stained red.

"T-The Templars, we are high in numbers in…France now. You…you know that, y-yes?" de Launay wheezed. Alexandre frowned. Well that was pretty much obvious.

"Your point?" Alexandre felt chills run down his spine as de Launay's grin became wider, revealing blood stained teeth.

"The T-Templars are trying to…eliminate Assassin i-influence in the…country. We…they will stop at…nothing. Understand boy?" de Launay then reached up and grabbed the front of Alexandre's robes, catching him by surprise again. "_Understand?!_" Alexandre slapped the man's hand away and inched away from him, now wishing that he could run out of there and go back home. "All you Assassins will…die. _Die._"

Alexandre stood up again when somebody screamed and somebody else shouted to stop. He backed away as people stopped around de Launay, grabbing a his now lifeless body and Alexandre was suddenly grateful to have so many people around as he pushed past them, getting farther and farther from his dead target, hearing people chanting something though he couldn't care less what they were saying as he finally broke from the crowd and took a few steps back before turning and running into a nearby alley and finally heading back home.

* * *

**A/N: **Yeah, so the nine year time skip had to happen to move the story along. The first two chapters were to show their relationship with their father, and since Alphonse's death was important to the plot I thought it would be more meaningful to show that the Armand siblings had an actual relationship with their father, rather than to say that they had a father, they lost their father, and they miss him.

The last part of this chapter was a pain to write. I knew how I wanted it to come out, but I don't feel like it came out as I intended it to.

**Historical Facts: **A few historical events _were _in fact mentioned here. Such as the king firing his financial minister, Jacques Necker, who did happen to save the country from total bankruptcy and was seen as France's savior. Necker was later fired from his position on July 11th, 1789 and that news reached Paris the very next day. Public demonstrations were held; people rioted and attacked customs posts, blaming them for the rise of prices of food and wine; people started getting their hands on weapons anyway they could. Then on July 14th, a mob stormed the Bastille in hopes of getting the ammunition and weapons stored inside it, the mayor was killed by that same mob that day.

As for de Launay, he was an actual historical figure too. He was the governor of the Bastille, who was seized be the crowd, and did in fact kick somebody in the groin in real life before his death and there are accounts that he was beaten and stabbed before being lynched. I was wondering how I could work his assassination into the story and then it him me, Assassins are usually responsible for deaths of historical figures in the games, so all I had to do was work in some of my imagination and voila, the dude was assassinated.

So there's your history lesson for the day lol...well at least I hope I got the history accurately enough. Wikipedia isn't exactly reliable, and I don't remember much from my eleventh grade Modern World History class. I do have a text book that I found (which actually belongs to a local high school but I'm not returning it, besides its an old text book), but there isn't much information about the French Revolution in it so the internet is helping me a lot. I might have missed some information, but I'm not going to add every last detail I found during my research.

But if I did end up getting something wrong in my explanation then please correct me, don't leave me looking like an idiot -_-

* * *

**_Edited: 3/18/13_**


	4. Siblings

**Chapter IV: Siblings**

_Paris  
July 18th, 1789_

"Alexandre, are you listening to me?"

Alexandre broke out of his train of thought, casting a side glance at Lucille who was narrowing her eyes at him as she waited for his response. It was then that he realized that he had zoned out after his sister had complained to him that a man had been trying to woo her the past week, and how she kept turning him down. He didn't say a single word to her in reply; he had given her no indication whatsoever that he had been listening so he couldn't blame her for thinking that he was ignoring her. He eventually got lost in his own thoughts, zoning out for a moment before she brought him back to reality.

In fact, he found himself getting lost in his own thoughts quite often since he returned home from the mission at the Bastille the other day with his robes slightly bloody, and his grandfather had stated that he seemed to be a little out of it, but other than that he was just fine which was a huge relief for his mother. He found himself thinking over and over again about de Launay's last words, something that he didn't intend to mention to anybody about, but Sylvain was an exception. He did report back to Sylvain right after completing his assassination contract, but the man had dismissed any worries that he had and sent him on his way.

He didn't feel the need to mention the details of what happened that day to anybody at home. He was fine with his family only having knowledge that the civil unrest among the people had come to the point where they stormed the Bastille to look for ammunition and weapons. They knew that there would be an uprising soon with how angry the people were, and how most everybody was practically starving while the king and queen paid no mind to what was happening; the possibly of an uprising soon made a lot of sense.

Four days later, almost everything had returned back to normal in the city. There were no huge crowds marching around and no protestors around the city but there was always that tension in the air; there had been the occasional riot the past few days but other than that everything in the city was almost back to normal.

And now that normality was returning and it was safe to venture out now, Sabine had sent Lucille off to the market that day, and Alexandre went along with her after she had asked if he could tag along; she had gotten everything that their mother had ordered and in order to prevent any potential moments of silence, Lucille had been telling him about a potential suitor which was something that bored him honestly. His sister had grown up into a young woman who would often be told by men that she was pretty and there were few who had tried to court her, but she had blatantly stated before that she wasn't interested in marrying soon which was just fine with her mother and grandfather. He wasn't bothered much by the thought of somebody having a romantic interest in his sister, and he assumed that Aurèle didn't either. Lucille would always turn men down, but this man was persistent.

"Alexandre?"

"Yes?" he mumbled, trying to suppress a grin when he heard her sigh in exasperation.

"Not to sound rude or demanding or anything, but were you even listening to me?" Lucille asked him, her annoyance evident in her tone. How he liked to annoy his sister, and he was proud with himself for managing to annoy her without much effort.

"Yes, sure…." he replied, quickly casting another side glance in her direction. Lucille furrowed her brows but didn't say anything for a moment, leaving them walking in silence. Just as he began wondering what it could be that was going through her mind she turned her head enough to look at him and nodded.

"Did you hear the part where I said that I was seeing a pirate and he wants to take me out to the high seas to be his pirate queen?" she asked him, and he could tell that she was trying to keep from smiling. He bit his lip to keep _himself _from smiling at such a lie. For a second he wondered if she remembered the stories their grandfather would tell them about pirates when they were younger, stories that he and Aurèle liked listening to while Lucille just found them mildly interesting. "I was wondering what you thought about that, I mean pirates _are_ dangerous after all." Lucille continued, breaking her brother out of his train of thought again.

She was trying to get a reaction from him, and if she wanted a reaction then he would give her a reaction.

"I thought you said you weren't going to get married." Alexandre replied, trying to keep his face as straight as possible as Lucille glared daggers at him. What he wasn't expecting however was for her to tighten her grip on the handle of the basket she was holding out of irritation before swinging her free hand at him, smacking up on the back of the head.

"Ow!" He placed a hand on the back of his head out of reflex as he felt a dull ache and finally turned his full attention to his sister. She didn't hurt him, but he was surprised by her reaction.

"You weren't listening to me, were you?" Lucille demanded, holding her glare on him. Alexandre grinned and put his hand back down. How easy it was to annoy her.

"You said that you were seeing a pirate who wants to take you to be some pirate queen, of course I heard you. You're just going to have to get used to the seasickness though." he replied in amusement.

"Alexandre!"

"I was listening to you the whole time Lucille. You were saying that there's some man that had been trying to woo you the past week, and how suddenly he wants to be your friend. If he seems like a good man, then at least try to get to know him. You say you aren't going to get married but who knows? You'll change your mind one day and you might be married some four years from now." Alexandre told her before turning to look at his sister who was staring straight ahead now, her expression serious.

"I know what you mean, but-" she began before Alexandre interrupted her.

"Listen, don't date the man, but at least try to have _some _male friends like you have lady friends."

"Do you have _some _lady friends like you have male friends then?" Lucille asked, sparing a quick glance at her brother when she saw his smile widen a bit. She knew the answer to that already, but her brother wasn't a lady's man, he just had female friends, but if he didn't. And as to her having male friends, she did occasionally talk to two male accomplices but that was it.

"We're talking about your social life, not mine."

"It was a rhetoric question."

"I know."

"_But_ an innocent question."

"It doesn't sound so innocent."

"That's because you have a dirty mind." Lucille smiled a little as she wrapped both her hands around the handle of the basket she was holding, still looking ahead. Alexandre shook his head and looked back up the street, not saying another word. "But I'm not really all that mad that you weren't listening to me when I was talking to you." she told him, and Alexandre glanced at her again. He raised a brow, giving her a questioning look.

"By that you mean…?" he started in confusion before trailing off.

"What's on your mind? You seem a little distant lately." she demanded, eyeing her brother from the corner of her eyes again and she could see his smile immediately disappear. Alexandre opened his mouth to answer her, but hesitated for a split second before speaking.

"It's nothing…really. There's just something that's been on my mind since-"

"Since you came back home from that mission last week?" Lucille interrupted him. Alexandre turned his head in turn to look at his sister with a frown. "That's it, isn't it? Ever since you came back from that mission you've been a little distant."

"Yes, that's it…." Alexandre mumbled. "But it's nothing to worry about. I just have a lot on my mind." he continued, noticing Lucille's unsatisfied look.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure." he reassured her, although he knew he was lying. Nothing that de Launay had told him before he died came as a shock, it was more the way he said it and how confident he sounded that bothered him. He knew there were Templars that had said similar things in the past, but all those times they were just empty threats. de Launay only made that threat sound more convincing to him. Maybe he was just being paranoid.

"Okay…if you say so." Lucille accepted despite still sounding unsure of her brother's response.

"So who is this man that had been trying to get you interested in him?" Alexandre asked her, trying to change the subject.

"I think he told me that his name is Michel Blanc. I don't know much else about him except that he says he's my age, and that he's been apprenticed to a doctor. He's good looking and he seems like a good man, but I'm not really interested in him in that way." Lucille answered.

"Oh." was Alexandre's only response.

They walked in silence for the rest of the walk home and when they finally reached the house they both entered through the front door one at a time. The first thing that Lucille did upon being inside was go straight to the kitchen to give her mother the basket of groceries that she had asked her to get. Alexandre was about to make his way upstairs to his room as his mother and sister spoke to each other in the kitchen before Sabine called out to him from there.

"Alexandre, you have a guest here waiting for you."

"A guest?" Alexandre repeated in slight confusion. Who could have possibly come to see him? He was about to ask who it was as he passed by the den until he heard somebody call out to him from that room. He stopped, turning around to look at the den's entrance before hesitantly walking into it to see a man with neat auburn hair and brown eyes about two years old than him sitting one on one of the two sofas in the room, grinning at him.

"What are you doing here Augustine?" Alexandre asked as the latter stood up. "I thought you were in Venice."

Augustine shrugged. "I just came back from Venice yesterday, and decided to stop by to see how my good friend and his family were doing before leaving for Varennes tomorrow." he replied. Augustine studied Alexandre for a few seconds afterwards before speaking again. "You look a little different than you did the last time I saw you last year, and you don't look so happy to see me either."

He hadn't seen the man in some time, and though he should have been glad that he was back in Paris after a long trip he couldn't help but feel indifferent to his friend's surprise arrival back to the city despite trying not to come off that way.

"No…I am. I just wasn't expecting to see you." Alexandre replied, not realizing that he had sounded indifferent. He hadn't seen Augustine since the man had left for Venice on a mission he had been assigned to over there the previous year, and he wasn't expecting to find Augustine waiting for him in his family's den. "So how's Venice?" Alexandre asked him in an attempt to change the subject.

"Venice was alright. It smelled a little, but you get used to the smell eventually." Augustine answered before Alexandre noticed a mischievous glint flash through his eyes. "I saw your brother when I came here, but he left because he said that he was late for work. Are you two still working with your grandfather?"

Alexandre nodded as Augustine walked over to him. "Yeah, we are."

Augustine chuckled. "It's obvious that after all these years that he still…I wouldn't say that he doesn't like me, but he doesn't tolerate me."

Alexandre didn't say anything. He and his siblings had known Augustine since meeting him a few months after their father's death when their grandfather starting introducing him to people from the Parisian sect. Alexandre became good friends with Augustine while Lucille developed a little crush on him until one day she suddenly 'decided' that she didn't like him anymore. Aurèle never liked him however, and used to make his dislike for Augustine known for a while before he stopped being so openly rude to him and began tolerating his presence a little more. Alexandre would ask his brother why he disliked Augustine so much, but he would never give him a clear answer.

"Why are you leaving the city so soon?" Alexandre asked him, hoping to change the subject again.

"A mission." Augustine replied and shrugged as if those two words would answer everything. "I won't be back until October or November." he said as he started making his way to the front door. "You seem a little distant, is everything alright?"

"I'm fine." Alexandre assured him as he followed him to the front door. Augustine stopped upon reaching the door and turned around to look at Alexandre as he grabbed the door knob.

"I have to go get ready for the long trip so I'll see you in a few months."

"Good luck." Alexandre said, finally smiling a little as Augustine extended his hand and he took it, gripping it tightly.

"Try not to get yourself killed while I'm gone, and tell your brother to lighten up a little."

"Right, I'll tell him that." Alexandre grinned and let go of his hand, and when Augustine finally walked out of the house he closed the door and made sure to lock it.

When did he ever try to get himself killed he wondered. Well except for when he was still in the beginner ranks, he _was_ pretty reckless; and if he told Aurèle that Augustine told him to 'lighten up', he was sure his brother would let out a string of curses about the man. He had a serious dislike for him and it was beyond Alexandre why Aurèle didn't like him, but Augustine didn't seem to mind. In fact, Augustine liked saying things that were sure to piss Aurèle off.

* * *

_Paris  
__October 27th, 1789_

He felt the air escape his lungs when he hit the ground, letting out a few short coughs before taking in a lungful of air. Staring up at the sky from where he laid he watching the clouds drift slowly through the sky before running his hand down his face, his skin clammy and the cool breeze that blew by didn't feel as reliving as it should have which he found disappointing. His legs and arms burned from the workout, but he was grateful of the fact that he no longer felt weak like he used to when he first started practicing such a thing, having built up enough muscle memory since then.

"Are you giving up?" a deep voice suddenly said, and he could detect the amusement and disappointment in the person's tone.

Aurèle balled his hands into fists as he forced himself to sit up, and looked up at Valentin who was standing next to him with his arms crossed over his chest and a huge grin plastered on his face. The only sign that the man had aged at all the past nine years was the fact that he had a large amount of gray hair, and that was pretty much it. He was wearing assassin robes that identified him as an instructor, no longer just a master assassin. His hood was down and he barely had any weapons on him, or if he did then Aurèle wouldn't have known anyway. Valentin had been assigned the job of instructor about two years after Alphonse's death, and now he rarely went on missions, which was good since now he was able to spend time with his daughter and wife more often that he did before.

"N-No…I'm not…I just need a break." he answered, still catching his breath. Valentin shook his head as he bent down and offered him his hand.

"Get up." he said and when Aurèle took his hand he pulled him up onto his feet. Valentin watched for a minute, crossing his arms across his chest again as he watched Aurèle continue to try to catch his breath.

"Are we starting again?"

"No," Valentin shook his head, "we're not."

"Why not?" Aurèle asked him in confusion.

"That's enough, don't you think? It's starting to get late and you aren't going to get any better in hand-to-hand combat by pushing yourself the way you are now. Besides, this session was only to see your progress from six months ago and I'd say you're doing much better now."

Aurèle wiped some sweat from his forehead and nodded in understanding. He knew Valentin had a point; the man had been checking out the progress of all his students individually the whole day, and he had been checking out Aurèle's progress for about an hour (Valentin, of course, never gave neither him nor Alexandre any special treatment). It _was _in fact getting late; the sun was just beginning to set, paining the sky in hues of red, orange, and yellow; it was also getting colder as nighttime neared, the hot days of summer long gone leaving the air nice and crisp instead of nasty and humid.

"So I can go home now?"

"No, not yet anyway." Valentin replied, "Sylvain told me to send you to him after I checked your progress. He needs to talk to you and your brother."

"Why does he want to see us?"

"That, I do not know. You will find out once you get there." Valentin answered before turning around and walking away, leaving Aurèle standing alone on the rooftop of the Tower. He stood there for a few seconds, looking out toward the city before turning around and making his way toward the trap door that had been left open on the other side of the roof. He made his way back in to the Tower via the trap door, closing the door behind him and continuing down the staircase toward the lower level. He wondered along the way what Sylvain could possibly want to see him for, curious as to what the man had to say.

Once he made his way down to the main floor, he continued down another set of stairs until he reached a landing and made his way through a door that lead to the main lobby. Once there, he found his brother sitting on an arm chair on the other side of the lobby looking absolutely bored. Alexandre looked up as Aurèle made his way toward him, giving him an indifferent look. They had both barely spoken to each other the whole day after an argument that morning over itching powder and Alexandre's boots, but as Aurèle recounted what had actually happened he couldn't help but grin.

"What are you smiling about?"

"Did you speak to Sylvain already?" Aurèle replied, attempting to change the subject.

"I was waiting for you. He wants to talk to both of us." Alexandre stood up and stretched his arms out. "I was just making my way back home when I got the message." he said as he made his way over to the side of the building that led to Sylvain's office. "Come on."

They both walked down the hallway as they made their way to the office, neither saying a word to each other as they walked. When they finally got to the office they found the door open, and both of them hesitantly stepped in seeing as nobody was there. Alexandre frowned as he mumbled something about Sylvain wasting his by not being there anyway before the man finally entered the room and closed the door behind him.

"You two are finally here." Sylvain said as he walked over to his desk and set down a small stack of papers he had on his hand before turning to look at them. "You're both wondering why I wanted to speak to you two, am I right?"

"Is that a rhetorical question?" Alexandre asked him and Sylvain grinned.

"I suppose it was." he answered. "I wanted to speak to you two because I'm assigning the both of you on a mission together." Sylvain paused and waited for either one to say something, but when neither brother said a word he continued. "As you both should know by now, most of the aristocrats in the city are associated with the Templars, and most of them have either left or are in the process of leaving Paris after the Bastille's storming on July fourteenth. As you two know Paris' previous mayor was killed that day, and now there is a new mayor: Jean-Sylvain Bailey."

"What does this have to do with anything?" Aurèle asked and he received a quick glare from Alexandre that screamed 'stop talking and let him finish'.

"The new mayor is an ally of the Assassins now, so there is reason to worry about him. Ever since the king and his family moved back to Paris from Versailles earlier this month quite an amount of our allies have been killed in the city, though we don't know the exact reason why. It's possible that the Templars are planning something in the future and they don't want this part of the branch to have too many allies, but for the meantime our moles in the royal court are working to find out if there's a connection to all the killings with the king's arrival to the city. Not much information has been found, but there was a list found with the names of those murdered allies and the last name on that list was the mayor's."

Aurèle was about to say something again when Alexandre nudged his arm. "Shut-up." Alexandre hissed and Aurèle glared at him as Sylvain continued.

"For now there isn't enough evidence to suggest that there is a mole within this branch. That's a possibility but until I find enough reason to believe such a thing, I'm not going to investigate further into the subject. Now that mission that I'm assigning you two on has to do with the mayor's impending assassination attempt.

"So what is this about?" Alexandre asked and Aurèle glared at him again.

_'Hypocrite.'_ he thought as Sylvain answered his brother's question.

"You two are to kill off the man who was assigned to kill the mayor _before _he strikes. If possible don't even let him get close to the mayor. You two are going together because Aurèle needs the experience, and I trust you to get the job done well Alexandre. Your target's name is Albert Monet. He is under the guise of an aristocrat, and will attempt to flee the city tomorrow night whether or not he gets the job done. He is either going to request an audience with the mayor, or follow the mayor to the opera house. Jean-Sylvain is going to the opera house tomorrow, understand? And I want you two to strike tomorrow night. Understood?"

"Yes." Aurèle and Alexandre answered simultaneously.

"Good. Now go, I have work to do."

* * *

_Night of October 27th, 1789_

Alexandre couldn't sleep that night. He kept staring up at the ceiling with his hands behind his head as he listened to his brother's soft snores from across the room. He looked over to the bed adjacent to see Aurèle sleeping soundly with his back turned to him. With a sigh, Alexandre looked back up to the ceiling and frowned. He cursed the fact that he wasn't able to sleep. It felt like he had lain in bed for hours and maybe it really was hours.

Maybe he couldn't sleep because he was worried about the mission that he and Aurèle had been assigned on but he soon ruled that out. He wasn't _that _worried. He had gone on missions before so why would this particular one worry him? Maybe he couldn't sleep because he had insomnia. Yes, that was probably it—he just had insomnia. He had gone to bed only an hour after dinner around the same time everybody else went off to bed, and soon everybody was fast asleep except for himself.

When he and Aurèle returned back home earlier that night, they found their mother already waiting for them and she had asked them where they had been, having started to grow worried when Alexandre didn't return home from work hours earlier like he was supposed to and not having seen Aurèle all day. She was sure to ask many more questions but she didn't when Alexandre reluctantly told her where they had just come back from, and about the mission they had both been assigned. They knew that Sabine wasn't a big fan of missions, but she was still supportive anyway and she immediately dropped the subject of where they had been, sending them to go eat dinner instead.

He turned onto his side and with a deep breath; he closed his eyes and kept them closed in hopes that he would eventually fall asleep.

* * *

_October 28th, 1789_

It was quiet in the house that morning as Lucille made her way out of the den and into the hallway, pausing when she caught sight of Alexandre making his way downstairs with his fingers stained black with what looked like paint. He stopped when he saw her as she arched an eye brow.

"Why are your hands dirty?" she asked him. Alexandre grinned as he shoved his hands into his pockets.

"Do you remember the itching powder he put in my boots yesterday? I got a little paint from the neighbor's daughter earlier this morning, and she was nice enough to give me a paint brush too."

Lucille groaned as realization dawned on her and shook her head. Of course she remembered the itching powder incident the day before, how could she not after the argument both her brothers had that morning which was thankfully broken up by their grandfather. Blaise was none too happy with their behavior and scolded them for acting childish, claiming that they were "men now and shouldn't be acting like boys anymore". If Lucille remembered correctly, it had something to do with visiting Claude and his sister, Violette, before they left for Brittany where Violette was to wed. She didn't know the full details nor did she care to know if it caused her brothers to act like twelve year olds.

"You didn't,"

"I did."

"Won't you two ever grow up?"

"You're boring, you know that?"

"I'm boring? Was doing whatever you did with that paint fun to you?" Lucille retorted, crossing her arms across her chest. "What exactly did you do to him?"

"I'm not going to answer that." Alexandre he continued over to the front door with Lucille following after him.

"You two are idiots."

"I'll take that as a compliment." Alexandre stopped at the door and turned to look at his sister who was now eyeing him with disapproval. "I have to go run the errands mother sent me on earlier, and go meet up with Augustine by the Seine later."

"He's back from Varennes?" Lucille asked, though he could tell that she didn't really care.

"Yes, he returned yesterday." Alexandre opened the door and took a step out. "Listen, I won't be here for most of the day but tell me his reaction when I come home tonight."

"Alright." Lucille nodded; shaking her head as she watched her brother finally leave the house, closing the door behind him.

She turned around and made her way to the kitchen, where she knew her mother was waiting for her with a list of groceries to give her and send her on her way to her daily trip to the market. She found Sabine sitting at the table reading a book with a cup of what she assumed to be tea in front of her. Her mother looked up from the book she was reading and smiled at her daughter before turning her attention back to what she was doing.

"I made a list of groceries I want you to get from the market later." Sabine told her without looking up as Lucille walked over to the counter and began making herself a cup of coffee. It was silent for a few minutes before they heard a door being slammed from the second floor followed by loud footsteps overhead.

"Alexandre!" they heard Aurèle shout as he rushed downstairs. Sabine frowned and looked up from her book, catching her daughter's gaze as Lucille glanced over her shoulder to look at her.

"Lucille, is Alexandre still home?"

"No, he left not long ago."

"Would you happen to know why Aurèle is calling after him then?" Sabine asked her, a warning edge to her tone. Before Lucille could answer her question they heard footsteps down the hall and soon Aurèle was standing at the kitchen door. They both turned to look at him as he stood at the threshold.

"Where is he?" he growled.

"Aurèle…" Sabine groaned and pinched the bridge of her nose, squeezing her eyes shut as Lucille gawked at him.

"He…went out to run some errands mère asked him to do…." Lucille answered, trailing off as she tried to suppress a grin. Before her stood her brother with a circle painted around his right eye in black paint with a curved line going toward his ear, drawn to make it look like he were wearing a monocle. A badly painted on beard covered up most of his chin, and a set of eyebrows were painted over his own in such a way that made it look as though he were giving everybody a questionable look, as well as the words 'I'm an idiot' painted on his forehead.

"I thought I had two grown sons, not two ten year olds." Sabine finally opened her eyes again and looked back to her son with a look of disappointment. "I don't understand what's wrong with you and Alexandre lately; yesterday you put itching powder in his boots and today Alexandre retaliates with…this. Aurèle, you just turned nineteen, _behave _like a nineteen year old. In fact I'll have a talk with both of you later concerning the behavior the both of you have displayed the past several days; I'm not in the mood to deal with this right now. Why don't you just go wash that paint off your face?" Sabine turned her attention back to her book as Lucille walked over to the table with her cup of coffee and took the seat across from her mother.

"That's what I've been trying to do!" Aurèle exclaimed, wiping a hand over his chin before looking back down at it only to see that most of the paint didn't rub off at all.

"Keep trying. I think there's some soap in the washroom upstairs, just try to scrub the paint away." Sabine replied, not looking up from her book as Aurèle turned around and headed back upstairs. Lucille bit her lip and stirred her coffee with a spoon before looking up as her mother spoke to her.

"Did you know about this?"

Lucille shifted in her seat and cleared her throat. "Yes, but I found out just as Alexandre was leaving."

Sabine sighed and flipped to a page in her book, taking out a piece of paper and placing it on the table. "Here's the grocery list, go find me before you leave and I'll give you the money." Sabine stood up from her seat, closing the book and tucking it under her arm.

"I think I'll wait until Aurèle's ready so that he can go with me; I don't want to go alone today." Lucille said as she reached across the table and took the list into her hand.

"As long as you go to the market, it's fine with me." Sabine replied before leaving the kitchen, taking her tea with her.

Lucille sat there alone in complete silence, staring down at her cup of coffee as she continued stirring it. She looked up and huffed as she raised the cup up to her lips, shaking her head before taking a swig of it.

"My brothers are idiots…."

* * *

It was almost noon by the time Aurèle and Lucille finally got out of the house, Aurèle having finally washed all the paint off his face. When he had washed up and changed for the day, Lucille had asked him if he could accompany her to the market, and he jumped at the chance to get out of the house. After heading to the market and getting everything it was that Sabine had sent Lucille to get for that night's dinner, they made their way back home with Lucille commenting on how she wasn't able to get everything on Sabine's grocery list with food having become even more expensive than a few days prior. For a moment they were both quiet before Lucille spoke up, trying to keep them from falling into silence.

"So what's the mission you and Alexandre are going on?" she asked casually, gripping the basket she was holding in her hand as they made their way through the afternoon crowd.

"I don't think we can talk about that out here." Aurèle replied, glancing at her. Lucille frowned and just as she opened her mouth to say something somebody, a man with dark hair and eyes to match, walked up to them from seemingly out of nowhere with a big grin on his face.

"Hi Lucille," the man greeted.

Lucille looked up upon hearing her name and let out an exasperated sigh, forcing a smile as she greeted the man, stopping in her tracks. Aurèle continued walking for a bit before stopping and turning around to look at them.

"How are you, Michael?" Lucille greeted back, glancing over to her brother who noted her slight annoyance and smiled.

"Lucille, who is this?" Aurèle asked her, and Michel turned to look at Aurèle before looking back at Lucille.

"Is he one of the brothers you mentioned you had?" he asked her, sounding hopeful and Lucille nodded.

"Oh yes, he's my baby brother. The one I mentioned the last time we met." Lucille replied glancing over to her brother again who frowned at her.

"_Baby _brother?" Aurèle repeated with slight annoyance. "I'm a year younger than you; I hardly think that makes me your 'baby' brother."

"Aurèle, this is Michel. Michel, this is my _younger _brother, Aurèle." Lucille introduced, narrowing her eyes at Aurèle. Before Michel could say anything to Aurèle, Lucille walked she pushed him forward. "Sorry, but we have to get home as soon as possible. My mother needs these groceries." she called back. And it was true that her mother needed the groceries, but they wouldn't start making dinner for a few hours.

"Alright, see you another day then." Michel answered as Lucille turned back to look at where she was going now as Aurèle snatched his arm away from her.

"What's wrong with you Lucille?" he asked her and Lucille glanced at him from the corners of her eyes.

"He's the man I told Alexandre once who was trying to woo me."

"Are you interested in him?"

"Not in the slightest. I just happen to see him every day just as I'm going back home from the market so I can't exactly ignore the man." Lucille explained. "He says he's under the apprenticeship of a doctor."

"A doctor, well I should run to him when I need medical assistance then. He's sure to give me a discount for being the brother of the girl he has set his sights on." Aurèle teased.

"I said he's a doctor's apprentice Aurèle, not a doctor."

"It's the same thing Lucille."

"I hardly see how it's the same thing."

* * *

_**Edited: 3/20/13**_


	5. Night Mission

**Chapter V: Night Mission**

It was well after sunset when Alexandre finally returned home after running all the errands his mother asked him to do, as well as a few of his own. Dinner had already been made and he sat down with everybody to eat before he and Aurèle went to get ready for the mission later that evening. He had heard word on the street earlier that day when he was out with Lucille that there was in fact an opera that night called _Les deux petits Savoyards_ being performed at the Opéra Comique that night at eight, and assumed that that was the opera the mayor would be attending.

It felt like the day had flown by, and as the hours passed he couldn't help but feel dread as the minutes passed by. He occasionally went on missions, but for the first time in a long time he didn't want to go on one. Maybe he was just being paranoid, but as he stood near the bottom of the stairs dressed in the white, gray, and red robes that identified him as an Assassin in the lower ranks he began feeling anxious though tried to hide his restlessness from his mother as he watched Alexandre make his way downstairs, already changed into his own robes. Once again, like many times before, he noted how his brother had two hidden blades and he still had one and wondered when it would be that he would finally be granted his second hidden blade as he fixed the straps on the one he had.

"Are you ready?" Alexandre asked Aurèle who simply nodded. He could feel his stomach churning from how nervous he was, something that he hated. _Why _was he so nervous when he had no reason to be? Maybe it was because some time had passed since he last went on such an important mission? No, that wasn't it.

"You know, I'm sure that if your father were here right now that he would be proud of you two." Sabine spoke up from where she stood across from the stairs, catching both of their attention. She always watched them off on their missions, like she did with Alphonse. She had once claimed that though she didn't wish it, that she never knew if that was the last time she would see either of them and so she always saw them off for that reason.

"If he were here right now we wouldn't be dressed like this." Alexandre replied as he looked down at the robes he was wearing.

"I know." Sabine smiled sadly and nodded. Aurèle looked back down at his hidden blade, tightening the straps once more before releasing the catch, and watched as the blade popped from its bracer and stared it before sheathing it back into its proper place. "Your grand-father and Lucille would have bid you two good luck like always, but they've already gone to bed. I know they aren't as worried as I am, and I shouldn't be worried be. You two already know that you have to look out for one another, don't you?"

"When haven't we?"

Aurèle looked back up, catching his mother's eye as she did so and she smiled warmly at him. "Off you two go then."

* * *

The Parisian skyline at night was something he had seen many times; he had seen how the moonlight would illuminate a part of Paris which was already illuminated in turn by the streetlights. He knew that the nightlife had already started, and those fortunate enough with money to spend on luxuries were most likely out in the city enjoying its vices. He took in the skyline for a few more seconds before focusing his attention back on following his brother as they made their way across the rooftops, seeing as though he knew where they were headed to anyway.

"Do you know where we're going?"

"To the mayor's house," Alexandre called back, glancing over his shoulder to look at him as he began slowing down. "I received a message by an informant earlier today written by Sylvain with some information on what we have to do and who our target is. The mayor is going to go see a play at the Opéra Comique."

"To go see _Les deux petits savoyards?" _Aurèle asked, catching Alexandre's attention as the latter stopped in his tracks.

"How did you know?"

"Don't worry about how I know." he replied as he caught his breath. So he had assumed correctly, and that _was_ where the mayor was headed.

"Doesn't matter how you know that anyway…." Alexandre mumbled as he reached into his pocket and took out a piece of parchment and held it up to the light. "I forgot to mention that we're here." he glanced at Aurèle before looking back down at the parchment, pointing at a house across the street from the rooftops they were standing on.

_'We are?'_ Aurèle looked over to the house. He had passed by the new mayor's house several times the past few months, but never really got a good look at it and now that he was seeing it he realized that was just a regular house. It stood out from the others however with the presence of guards on the rooftops and on the street below.

"Shouldn't we get a little closer then?"

"We should," Alexandre agreed. "but we can't. He can't know we were ever here, we can't get detected." He handed the parchment to Aurèle who took it in his hands and read it as he looked out toward the skyline, taking it in.

_'Target: Albert Monet. Assignment: The mayor, Jean-Sylvain Bailey, will be leaving his home to go attend an opera at the Opéra Comique on the night of October 29th and will be leaving his home shortly before eight. Follow him without him knowing of your presence. When Monet is in range assassinate him before he gets to Bailey. Do not make your presence known at all costs.'_

Aurèle looked back up after reading the parchment and turned to look at his brother, his eyes hidden under the shadow of his hood. "What time is it?"

"I think its fifty minutes past seven." Alexandre answered as he took the parchment from him and crumpled it in his hand. "Judging by the fact that they're still guards here, I'd say that he hasn't left for the opera yet. So for now we should look out for Albert, a task that should be easy for you. Just use your second sight." Just as Alexandre finished his sentence, a few people began filing out of the house as a horse-drawn carriage pulled up in front of it.

Neither said a word for a moment, both of them watching the area around the house. They watched as most of the people standing in front of the house dispersed, leaving behind a man in black attire who was holding the door of the carriage open who was obviously the coachman; a woman in a pastel yellow dress; and a man dressed in a bright green jacket, black breeches, white knee-high stockings, and regular shoes—the mayor. After a few minutes passed Alexandre finally broke the silence between them, startling Aurèle when he spoke.

"Aurèle,"

Aurèle turned his attention away from the house and to his brother whose gaze was still fixed on the building

"Yes?"

"I wanted to apologize for this morning, and there's something else you should know." Alexandre finally turned his gaze on his brother just as a few of the guards left, leaving only two behind.

"Alexandre?"

"Augustine's back from Varennes…I met him by the Seine today."

"What about Augustine?" Aurèle asked him as he turned his gaze back onto the house, watching as the woman climbed into the carriage followed by the mayor before the coachman closed the door behind them once they were inside. He didn't care much about anything that had to do with Augustine, especially not at that moment when they had to watch out for their target. He shifted into Eagle Vision, the world around him becoming gray with only the carriage down in the ground below and Alexandre standing next to him being a bright blue.

"We spoke today, and came to the realization that there's-" Alexandre began as Aurèle caught sight of something moving down in the street below, something glowing gold in his vision and just as he saw it he shifted back to his normal vision and turned to look at Alexandre, realization dawning on him.

"Alexandre, Monet's down there!" he exclaimed.

"What?!" Alexandre looked down to the street below to see a man sprinting toward the carriage as the coachman sat down in front of the carriage and took the reins of the two horses into his hands. "Are you sure?" he asked as he reached over and took his pistol out, placing his finger lightly on the trigger.

"He's gold in my line of sight while I'm in Eagle Vision." Aurèle replied, watching as Alexandre made his way toward the edge of the rooftop.

"We're not going to get to him in time." Alexandre stated before raising his pistol and aiming it at Monet as the man neared the carriage. He shot at him, cursing when he realized that he had missed but a moving target was hard to hit anyway. At the sound of the bullet firing Albert stopped in his tracks and the coachman whipped the reins on the horses, causing the carriage to speed down the street. Alexandre lowered his pistol as they watched the carriage make its way down the street, sighing in relief before turning his attention back to Albert who was now running up the street from where he had come from.

"Why did you do that?!" Aurèle shouted and glared at his brother before jumping down from the rooftop into a cart of leaves below. He jumped out of the cart and ran after Albert.

"Aurèle, come back here you idiot!" Alexandre shouted after him as he chased after him via the rooftops. "I meant to do what I did, and I know I was wrong for firing that shot but it's better to get detected than to let the mayor be assassinated!"

"_I _don't want to let him get away!"

"Stop being a moron and let him go!"

Aurèle glanced up to the rooftops, and just as he did Albert stumbled and fell onto the street, quickly sitting up and holding his knee. Albert looked up and glanced around frantically as he got back up, one of his hands on his right knee as he tried to catch his breath.

"Guards! Guards!" the man shouted to the top of his lungs as he took a few steps backwards. Aurèle snatched his arm away from Alexandre who glanced around them, his eyes searching everywhere for any sign of the guards. Just as the man shouted for the guards, four of them ran out toward the cries. Albert pointed at Aurèle who stopped in his tracks upon seeing them, almost losing his balance as he came to a complete stop. "Guards! The Assassins! They're here!" Albert cried, pointing at Aurèle.

"Shit." Aurèle cursed as Albert grinned in triumph while he hid behind the four guards that had shown up as they all drew out their swords. Before he could react, Alexandre leapt down from the rooftops with both his hidden blades unsheathed and sunk his blades deep into the skulls of two of the guards, hearing the sickening crack of bone being penetrated, the blows instantly killing them. He retracted his blades; his sleeves now stained with blood as he kneeled up and glanced over to his brother.

"You see what happened now?!" Alexandre scolded him before pointing down the street as Albert ran from the scene, the man shouting 'Assassins!' as he ran. "Go silence him!"

Aurèle stared at his brother before hesitantly running over to a box of crates in front of a nearby shop, quickly climbing on top of them like stairs before quickly stepping onto a lamp post and leapt as far as he could down to the street, avoiding the guards, before chasing after Albert again. He knew, however, that he couldn't have completely avoided the guards as he heard somebody running after him and quickly glanced over his shoulder to see one of the two remaining guards chasing after him, which meant that his brother was left with only one guard to deal with. What a relief. He knew that his brother could deal with one guard; one guard was nothing to him. Now he only had to get the target and try to lose the guard that was following after him.

His heart raced in his chest and his legs burned as he tried picking up his pace, grinning when Albert began slowing down as he began limping before he felt a pang in his chest. He would only get this kill because the man was already injured, and for a moment he felt pity for him. Once he was only feet behind him as he released the catch on his blade, hearing the small click it made before he tackled Albert to the ground and without much thought he sunk his blade into the back of the man's neck, hearing the ripping of skin, and feeling the blood begin to pool in his palm. He quickly retracted his blade and stood up before turning around just as the guard, who had finally caught up to him, swung his sword at him. Aurèle jumped backwards to avoid being slashed, though wasn't able to avoid the guard's weapon completely.

He winced as the tip of the blade made contact with his right arm, cutting through his sleeve and sliced over his skin and gritted his teeth at the burning sensation the blade left behind. Taking a few steps backwards, he clasped his left hand over the wound and gently applied pressure to it just as he felt blood slowly seep through his undershirt plastering the thin material against his skin, and when he took his hand away for a few seconds to look at his wound he found his palm now wet with his own blood. Clenching his jaw, he glared up at the guard who smirked at him as he started for him again. Aurèle was grateful that the guard was only armed with a pistol and the sword; all _he_ had in turn were his hidden blade and pistol, not being able to have a sword of his own until he demonstrated enough skill to even have one.

"It is the end for you Assassin."

Aurèle growled as he reached over for his pistol with the hand of his injured arm, feeling only a small wave of pain at the movement. Well he doubted he would be able to disarm the guard, not with how the man was on the offense at the moment. Just as the guard lunged for him once more, Aurèle jumped backwards again, took a step to the right, and just as the man began turning toward him again he grabbed his arm and twisted it backwards, causing the guard to yelp out in pain and drop his sword while his arm burned with pain at the movement. So he _was_ able to disarm him after all. Just as the sword hit the ground with a loud clatter, Aurèle unsheathed his blade and as the guard began recovering, he wrapped his arm around the latter's neck and quickly ran the blade across the guard's neck, slitting his throat. Aurèle let the man go and watched as the guard fell to the ground with a loud thump, watching as blood began pooling around his neck area before letting out a sigh of relief.

He stood there for a few seconds, glancing over to Albert to finally get a good look at him. The man had to be in his early thirties, and was wearing a white powdered wig, typical of high class citizens. Blood had pooled around him as well, his dark eyes staring up at the sky with a glazed look.

Aurèle cursed under his breath as he looked away, suddenly feeling nauseous as he started back down the street again to go to where he had left Alexandre behind. His stomach churned, and his eyes widened at the realization that he had just taken to people's lives. He had _killed _both of them without a second thought, taking their lives in cold blood, and that was something he had _never _done before. He had never come face to face with menacing guards, or had even been sent on an assassination contract until then and he had just killed two people as if it were nothing. He didn't even think of the possibility of himself going off and completing the assassination contract, he had thought Alexandre would cover the assassinating part.

He continued down the street, ripping off the red sash from around his waist before hastily wrapping it around his arm as tightly as possible, using his teeth and free hand to tighten the knot. He was sure that Alexandre had taken care of the guard, and as he neared the area he had last seen his brother he saw him leaning against a wall, staring down at the dead bodies of the guards before him. Making his way toward where Alexandre stood, he glanced down at the corpses his brother had left behind before looking up when he heard a pained groan.

"Aurèle,"

Alexandre looked up from where he stood his hood now down and his robes splattered with blood. He was clutching his sides, and as Aurèle continued toward him he could beads of sweat rolling down his forehead and that he was taking deep breaths. Alexandre clenched his jaw as his face contorted into that of extreme pain, though Aurèle didn't understand why his brother was in such pain until the latter sunk down to his knees and bent forward a little. It was then that he saw the large gash running from Alexandre's right shoulder to the left side of his back, just above where his hips were, a large part of his back stained red.

"Alexandre!" Aurèle exclaimed in alarm, kneeling down beside his brother whose breath was now becoming labored.

"I…killed off the guard…but then two more came…and one of them caught me off guard…he did this to me." Alexandre explained, shutting his eyes as he gasped afterwards. He cracked open one of his eyes and glanced over to Aurèle's direction, meeting his younger brother's concern gaze. "Did you kill him?"

"You're bleeding to death and you're asking me if I killed him?!" Aurèle yelled in irritation, though he wasn't as annoyed as he sounded. No, he was extremely worried for him. He knew that he had to get his brother away from there, anywhere where he could be treated. He tried helping Alexandre up, and as he did Alexandre tried hiding his pain while he stood back up and propped himself on his brother, biting his lip from the strain of getting up.

"I asked you a question."

"Yes, I killed him and the guard that was chasing after me." Aurèle answered. Alexandre blinked and looked up to meet his gaze. Aurèle could tell that his brother was surprised by his response, but Alexandre didn't say a word before then eyeing the makeshift bandage Aurèle had wrapped around his right arm and pointed to it.

"You…You're hurt."

"I'll be just fine." Aurèle assured him despite how lightheaded he was beginning to feel, and how his arm was burning with pain, but he wasn't about to tell him that. "Come on, we have to go." Aurèle tried wrapping his brother's arm around his neck, but Alexandre shook his head.

"I'll walk myself." he croaked as he pushed away from Aurèle who reluctantly let him go. "We have to go before…before…." Alexandre began before he gasped and closed his eyes, his legs buckled underneath him and he collapsed onto the cobblestone street with a loud thud. Panicked, Aurèle knelt down beside him and shook him gently, so as to not agitate his wound.

"Alexandre!? Alexandre can you hear me?"

Fearing the worst when he received no response, he reached over and placed two fingers over his neck where he knew an artery would be. For a moment he feared that Alexandre was dead, and he could feel a knot form in his throat at the thought. He was soon overcome with relief however when he finally felt a pulse; it was faint, but it was still a pulse and that was enough to set some of the worry aside. Running his fingers through his hair, he then scratched the back of his neck and gritted his teeth. What was he going to do now?

* * *

The tugging and pulling sensation he felt every time the needle and suture left his skin was from pleasant, and he found himself biting down hard on his knuckles as the sensation continued. Fortunately the salve that had been placed over the wound before dulled the pain a little, and that helped ease his nerves somewhat. He glanced down at the bloodied sash that he used to have wrapped around his arm, not thrown haphazardly on the floor.

"What happened tonight?"

He reluctantly looked up to meet his grandfather's gaze, frowning as the old man patiently waited for his answer. He then glanced over to his mother who looked up from what she was doing for a second before continuing stitching his wound again. Sabine was the one who was left with the task of stitching her son's wound while Franco took care of Alexandre; she had learned how to do such a thing long ago from her father, and had been the one who would usually stitch up Alphonse's minor injuries. Blaise often told his grandson's how learning how to stitch wounds was a valuable skill, especially when they were forced to stitch their own as he occasionally had been forced to in his youth. Despite how anxious his mother was as she awaited news on Alexandre's condition, her hands didn't shake as she treated Aurèle, and she was careful with her movements as she closed the gash, knowing well that her youngest son _hated _needles.

Home was closer than the location of any doctor's around the area Alexandre had collapsed, and fortunately he didn't have to take Alexandre home himself. Augustine, who claimed that he was heading to their house because he wanted to speak to Alexandre, helped Aurèle carry Alexandre back home. Lucille had been sent to go fetch Franco, who was the only doctor close enough to their house. He felt sick to his stomach when he saw the look on his mother's face at the sight of Alexandre, and though his mother was clearly upset with the whole situation she tried to keep calm enough to treat Aurèle's wound, trying to keep him from bleeding any further. Lucille and Augustine in the meantime, were left in charge of waiting for any news from Franco.

Aurèle sighed profoundly, knowing that he had to eventually tell them what had happened earlier. "We were supposed to kill the mayor's would-be assassin..." Aurèle reluctantly began, clearing his throat before continuing. "When suddenly our target comes running toward the carriage the mayor was in. Alexandre scared him off by firing a shot at him, and the man ran back to the direction he came from…I chased after him, and Alexandre tried stopping me…the guards…they showed up and I went after Albert…." Aurèle trailed off and looked back up to see his mother cutting off the suture as both she and Blaise stared at him.

"How many guards?" Sabine asked him, as she then wiped her eyes with the back of her hand after placing the needle on top of the table.

"There were four. Alexandre killed off two of them; one chased after me and he was left with one to deal with, but when I returned he said that two more had shown up and he was caught off guard." he explained. As Sabine opened her mouth to respond, Lucille entered the room, catching their attention.

"Mère," Lucille chewed on her bottom lip, her hands clasped together, and her fingers intertwined with each other. "Franco wants to speak with you."

Sabine turned to look at her father who placed a reassuring hand on his daughter's shoulder as she stood up. They both followed Lucille out of the room, leaving Aurèle sitting at the kitchen table alone. Aurèle sat there, not willing to go over and see what news Franco would give them. He looked down at his hands which were covered in dry blood from his fingertips to his wrist when he arrived back home, but he had since washed the blood off and was forced to take off his robes which were also stained with blood and in dirt, leaving him only in his breeches and boots. His grandfather was considerate enough to go up to his room and get him a clean shirt, which he had thrown on the chair across from where he currently sat. With a sigh, Aurèle pushed his chair back, the legs screeching against the floorboards before he stopped and stood up, reaching for the clean shirt and put it on and as he did so he looked up to see Augustine walking into the room, looking rather glum.

"How are you?"

Aurèle narrowed his eyes at him, thinking that it was pretty obvious how he was doing but before he could reply to Augustine's question he paused. Here the man was asking him how he was, and by the way Augustine was staring at him he could tell that the man was being sincere.

"I feel miserable."

"I'm sure your mother is feeling much worse than you are." Augustine replied. "By the sound of it, you left Alexandre alone to fight some guards."

Aurèle glared at him, suddenly feeling guilty as he thought back on how the situation could have been avoided if only he had listened to his brother telling him to let Albert go. No, it could have been avoided if he didn't chase after the man in the first place. But he knew his mother did indeed feel worse than him; she was anguished, most likely from the possibility of one of her children dying that night. At that thought he felt his breath hitch in his throat. His brother could _die. _

Without another word he left the kitchen, pushing past Augustine on the way—the last person he wanted to see now. He wanted to go find his mother, to see if she was alright and what news Franco had brought her. As he stepped out into the hall he could hear his mother and Franco speaking down the hall by the stairs, and made his way over there to find his mother, Franco, and Blaise standing by the bottom step.

"Can we see him?" Sabine asked. Franco rubbed his chin, seemingly indecisive for a few seconds before hesitantly nodding his head.

"Yes, you can but it's important he rests." Franco replied. "As I said before, I did the best I could and I can't lie to you all; there is no guarantee that he will survive through the night. He lost a lot of blood, and I was just recently able to completely stop the flow. I suggest you watch his progress over the night, and if he survives the night then there is the possibility that he might survive this."

Sabine sighed in relief before giving an exasperated look at her father who frowned. Aurèle made his way over to them, catching their attention.

"Can I go see him right now then?" he asked.

"Yes, you go. I still need a word with your mother and grandfather." Franco said.

Aurèle walked past his mother, making his way upstairs and down the hall, passing by each door until he reached a door that was open just as Lucille stepped out of that room. Their mother's room he realized. Lucille cleared her throat, wiping her eyes which were red, most likely from crying.

"You know, he just asked me if I could go get you." she said as she walked past her younger brother. "Go see him."

Aurèle watched as Lucille made her way down the hall before he turned back to the door. He pushed it open a little wider and peaked in. Moonlight cascaded into the room through a crack in the curtains, and a candelabra set on top of the nightstand illuminated most of the room, shadows danced off the walls as the small flame flickered by and forth. He glanced over to the bed where his brother was laying sideways, a blanket thrown over him.

He could see Alexandre's robes thrown haphazardly on the floor next to the bed, no longer the pure white they used to be were now stained with dirt and blood. A bowl was set on the nightstand next to the candelabra with what looked like stained bandages and cloth draped over the edge. Alexandre seemed to be sleeping, his breathing still labored and from the glow of the candlelight he could see beads of sweat rolling down his forehead. He had never seen Alexandre look so exhausted, so…weak; he had always been the most outgoing and lively of the three, and to see him like that came as a shock. Aurèle stood there for a moment, not knowing whether or not to walk over to the bed. A minute passed before he finally decided to make his way across the room to the bed, and just as he neared it Alexandre cracked his eyes open and glanced over to him, taking in a deep breath as he did so.

"What time is it?" Alexandre asked him, his voice low and hoarse.

"I think it's almost ten…." Aurèle answered, staring at him as he hesitantly made his way to his side. Alexandre let out a shuddery breath and clenched his jaw, shutting his eyes as he tensed.

"Shit…it hurts." he groaned out, taking in another deep breath as he tried to hide the pain. "Did Franco already tell you that there's no guarantee that I'll make it through the night?"

"Uh…He said that if you do make it through the night, then you might have a chance at survival after all."

Alexandre opened his eyes and blinked. "I thought so." He yawned and blinked again. "Assassin's aren't supposed to be afraid of death, but I don't…want to die."

Aurèle cursed under his breath and looked away, biting his lip as he felt the knot form in his throat again. How was he supposed to know if Alexandre would survive the night or not? And if he didn't….

"I don't want you putting the blame on yourself, understand?" Alexandre suddenly spoke up, catching his attention. "I was the one who got us detected—"

"But _I _was the one who went after Albert!"

"Yes, but if I hadn't fired the shot then we wouldn't have fallen into the Templar's trap."

"_Trap?"_

"Yes, trap." Alexandre nodded, letting out a yawn afterwards. "The Templars knew we were going after Albert. One of the guards told me that they had been waiting for us…the whole thing was planned to work so that one of us would chase after him."

"What? How did the Templars know we were going to be there?" Aurèle asked him, his interest now piqued. _How _had the Templars known that they were sent to ruin the assassination attempt?

"Alexandre shook his head as he closed his eyes. "I…don't know for sure, but I have an idea…." he said, his voice becoming harder to her. "There's a traitor…." he trailed off and buried his face into his pillow. "…so sleepy…."

Aurèle knelt down on the floor so that he was eye level with him and gently nudged him, "Alexandre, what are you talking about?"

He nudged him against when he received no response until he heard Alexandre snoring softly, his breathing still a little labored. Aurèle stood up and stared down at his brother, thinking about what he had just said. There was a traitor, but how would Alexandre know that?

* * *

_October 29th, 1789_

He woke up as pain erupted in his arm, and clasped his hand over the bandages on his arm as he rolled over onto his back. He could feel the warm rays of the sun hitting his face, and with annoyed groan he sat up in bed and blinked for a few seconds before rubbing the sleep away from his eyes. He was surprised that he had even fallen asleep the night before after laying wide awake in bed for a few hours, thoughts racing in his mind. And now as he made to sit on the edge of the bed, his mind sluggish, he tried to remember what it was that had happened before he went to bed the night before.

He remembered that his grandfather and mother stayed in the den while he and Lucille went off to bed; he remembered checking up on Alexandre as his mother asked him to do, and to his relief he was still alive though his breathing was still labored and he would mutter something every now and then; he remembered going up to the their room, and for the first time in a long time he had slept in the attic alone with the bed adjacent to his empty. He remembered thinking that it _was_ his fault. That he should have listened when Alexandre was telling him to let Albert go; that if he hadn't been so stubborn and insisted on going after their target and instead of letting him get away as Alexandre had intended that the guards wouldn't have come in the scene, and if the guards never came into the scene….

"I'm an idiot." Aurèle said softly, frowning when he felt his stomach churn with anxiety and an overwhelming feeling of nausea wash over him. He had been reckless, and now his brother was suffering the consequences for his hastiness. "You're a fucking idiot Aurèle Armand, never forget that." he cursed at himself as he stood up from bed and made his way over to the staircase. As he reached the bottom step he could hear somebody talking on the other side of the door, a man, and then a woman spoke, and he could hear something in her voice, something that he couldn't distinguish.

Just as he made to open the door that separated the attic from the rest of the house, it flung open and he let out a startled gasp before realizing who was standing in front of him.

"Lucille?"

"You're up early," Lucille said, her voice cracking a little at the end and he could tell that she was holding something back. Her eyes were bloodshot, and she took rapid breaths before clearing her throat. "Grand-father sent me to wake you up…um…." she paused and chewed on her bottom lip, glancing over her shoulder before turning back to look at him. "He…He's gone."

"_What?"_ Aurèle stared at his sister, wondering if she was talking about somebody else, and hoping that she _was_ talking about somebody else. Hope, however, was something that he didn't trust ever since his father died nine years earlier when they all _hoped _that Alphonse would live.

"Mother just went to check on him not long ago and…well…."

"You're talking about Alexandre?" he asked her, still hoping that she was talking about somebody else; that the unshed tears in her eyes were for some other reason. "Yes." she nodded.

He stood there, not able to move for a moment as he felt the knot form in his throat again. His brother was gone, and it was mostly his fault.

It was _his _fault.

* * *

**A/N: **_Les deux petits savoyards (The Two Little Savoyards)_: an opera by French composer Nicolas Dalayrac that was first performed on January 14th, 1789. The theme of the opera appealed to audiences during the early stages of the French Revolution.

Opéra Comique-Parisian opera company founded in 1714 during Louis XIV's reign.

* * *

_**Edited** **3/22/13-**_ I like the way I ended this chapter more than that original, but it's always going to be hard to write 'death' scenes for me because I've never experienced anyone close to me dying and I hope that I won't anytime soon.


	6. Lost & Found

**Chapter VI: Lost & Found**

_Paris  
December 15th, 1789_

The wind ruffled his hair, burned his ears, and chilled him to the bone, and despite that he only shoved his hands into his pockets, not wanting to move from his spot. He'd occasionally hear people exclaim from below that he was crazy for sitting on top of one of the Notre Dame's towers, or that he was going to die if he happened to fall off but he didn't care. He _wasn't _suicidal, and the thought of committing suicide never crossed his mind. Besides, he wouldn't fall to his death. He had made sure to sit where there was a cart of hay below him and looking down at the street below he could see it where he sat, and only hoped that nobody would move it from where it had been temporarily stationed.

He had gone to sit at the top of the cathedral for a few weeks now, something he had never done before a month ago, but now he enjoyed going up there for a while where he could go and clear his mind. A mind that was still plagued with self-pity, and guilt.

He didn't know what to do and his mind had been a total blank when he was at the cemetery for his brother's funeral, watching as they buried him only a few feet away from Alphonse's grave. A sickening, empty feeling befell the house as it did when Alphonse died, but everybody gradually got used to Alexandre's absence. In fact, the days after Alexandre's death Sabine had cried for days, more than when Alphonse died. Having her husband die was one thing—she loved him, and of course understandably couldn't imagine her life without him, but losing a child was something else. That was a pain that Blaise admitted that he would never understand, nor imagine until he experienced it himself though the death of his first grandchild did leave an impression on him as well.

Aurèle knew his mother loved the three of them immensely, and for her to lose a somebody she had conceived out of love with her husband; having carried him in her womb for months at a time; having raised him from birth and having fallen in love with him with maternal affection as soon as he had entered the world…he himself couldn't imagine how she felt. All he felt was the guilt, and he hated himself for it. Lucille had tried convincing him that it wasn't his fault because it was a horrible accident, and she did break through to him but the doubt was always there. It didn't take long for everybody else to find out about Alexandre's death, and again people gave the family their sympathy and looked at them with pity. He _hated _pity.

Aurèle took in a deep breath and looked upward toward the sky, watching as the clouds drifted by, the sun high in the sky. He remembered how he once climbed up the Notre Dame with Alexandre years ago once they were good at free running; it was place they occasionally escaped to and would still go to once they were older. He frowned at the thought. He hated remembering things he used to do with him, mostly because he despised the thought of never seeing his brother again, like he despised the thought of never seeing his father again when Alphonse died.

With a sigh, he pushed himself away from the edge of the tower and stood up. It was past noon, and the bells had tolled not long ago, and now that he thought about it sitting on one of the towers wasn't such a good idea. But the tolling of the bells was only brief, and at least he still had his hearing. He stood there in silence as he looked out towards the city again, and as he took in the skyline he could hear somebody calling his name. He looked down to the ground below, wondering if somebody was calling him from down there before he saw somebody waving up to him. Squinting his eyes, he tried to see clearly who the man standing on the ground below shouting up to him was and for a second he thought it was Gabriel. Was it Gabriel?

Making sure that the cart of hay was still directly below him, he stood on the edge of the tower, daring himself to leap off but hesitated for a split second before finally doing so. The fall wasn't long, and he only heard the wind whistle past his ears for several seconds before landing into the cart, jumping out quickly once the straws of hay started poking at his skin. He brushed the straws of hay that had stuck to his clothes before looking up to see Gabriel walked over to him.

"I was told that you might be up there," Gabriel said once he was only a few feet away from him.

"You were told?"

"I went by your house earlier to look for you, but your mother said you weren't home. Lucille tipped me off that you might be here." he continued upon seeing Aurèle's look of confusion.

"Why were you looking for me?"

"Sylvain sent for you," Gabriel replied. "He says that he wants to see you in his office by twelve-forty five."

"Twelve forty-five?" Aurèle repeated. He had to guess that had to be a little past twelve-thirty already. "Didn't he tell you why?"

"He only said that it was important." Gabriel said before turning around and walking away. Aurèle watched as he blended into the afternoon crowd and frowned. What could be so important that Sylvain had to see him?

* * *

Headquarters was mostly empty when he got there. There were only a few assassins occupying their time in the main lobby either reading books, or talking amongst each other. He quickly glanced around the room as he continued down to the bottom of the steps, taking in deep breaths from his nose, trying to hide the fact that he was tired. He had run from the Notre Dame all the way to the other side of the city where the tower that held the entrance to headquarters was, even though that no matter what he did he was still going to be late. Sylvain hated tardiness, and he was sure to scold him.

Once he finished descending the stairs he was about to make his way to Sylvain's office before pausing when he saw the man speaking with a woman at the far side of the main lobby. The woman had to be in her early forties, and she looked out of place wearing her pale green dress in the room while others around her wore robes, but then again he himself must have looked out of place wearing a dress there while the other women in headquarters were wearing their Assassin robes. For a moment Aurèle thought that she was just a random woman who had accidentally made her way in there, but then dismissed that thought. _How _would anybody not affiliated with the Brotherhood know about the tower entrance?

He hesitantly made his way over to the pair, and as he approached them he could see that the woman had chestnut hair that reached down to her shoulders with a few visible gray hairs, and dark eyes. He could also see the mark on her left ring finger in the shape of the Assassin insignia marking her as a master assassin. When Sylvain and the woman noticed him walking up to them, they both turned to look at him.

"You finally show up." Sylvain said to him before turning to look at the woman who was studying Aurèle closely, making him feel uncomfortable as she continued to scrutinize him. "Elise, this is Aurèle Armand, one of Sabine and Alphonse's children. The youngest one actually." Sylvain introduced, and Aurèle could see a hint of recognition in the woman's eyes at the mention of his parents. "Aurèle, this is Elise Arnaud." Sylvain turned to look at Aurèle, and before he could say anything the woman spoke up.

"I thought he looked like somebody I knew, but I couldn't place _who _ looks so much like his father when we first met him." Elise commented with a smile. Sylvain turned to look at Elise before turning back to Aurèle with a slight scowl and stared at him for a few seconds before nodding in agreement.

"So he does." Sylvain agreed, and Aurèle could detect something akin to irritation in his tone. Aurèle arched a brow as he stared at Sylvain before glancing over at Elise. He figured that Sylvain was only annoyed by Elise's comment because she had pointed out that he looked like the man who had won over his mother's heart. He ignored Sylvain, and turned his full attention to Elise as she continued. How pathetic could the man be to still be bitter over somebody he wasn't able to woo long ago?

"Yes," she said cheerfully and Aurèle had to wonder if that was her usual demeanor. "Sabine and I were good friends back when we were younger. She, Sylvain, and I met your father when he came here from Montréal when he was only nineteen. Sabine and Alphonse were a sweet couple back then. She married your father shortly before I left for Rennes, so it comes as a surprise to me to hear that she and Alphonse had more than two children after not hearing from her for such a long time." Elise explained. "Tell me, how is your mother and father?"

Aurèle frowned, feeling a dull ache in his chest at the thought of his parents. She still thought that they were happily married. "My mother is just fine, but my father has been dead for nine years."

"Nine years!" Elise exclaimed with a frown. "I'm so sorry, I didn't know. How did he die if you don't mind me asking?"

"He died of blood-poisoning," Sylvain spoke up. Aurèle glanced over to the man again as he continued. "He was injured during a mission and he contracted an infection not long afterwards. Unfortunately he got a severe case of blood-poisoning and he was dead within two days."

"Oh…." Elise gave Aurèle a sympathetic look, and for the first time he actually didn't mind somebody's sympathy. "I honestly did not know about your father's death. I haven't kept in contact with your mother since your sister was a few months old." Elise explained before giving him a curious look. "How _are_ your brother and sister?" she then asked him. Aurèle averted his gaze somewhere else, refusing to look at her when he felt a pang in his chest, remembering that he no longer had a brother.

"That's not the best question to ask right now Elise." Sylvain cut in. Elise turned to look at Sylvain, still frowning.

"Why not?"

"Because my brother died several weeks ago." Aurèle answered, cursing under his breath when his voice cracked a little at the end.

"Oh dear, had I know I wouldn't have asked. I'll be sure to visit your mother as soon as possible."

"Alright, no more questions. I'm sure Sabine is still mourning the loss of her first child, and I'm sure you will indeed go visit her whenever you can but right now we have to focus on the current situation." Sylvain said. Elise nodded her head in agreement.

"Of course."

"Aurèle, I called you here because there's something important that Elise and I have to discuss with you and another apprentice, but that apprentice isn't here right now."

Aurèle looked up to meet Sylvain's gaze, giving him a confused look. "What do you mean?"

"You see," Elise began, clearing her throat a little before continuing. "I moved back to Paris from Rennes, and arrived here in the city yesterday and brought my apprentice, Marceline, with me. We were making our way over here earlier when she got lost on the way. I actually had to force her to come to this building; the girl can be stubborn at times…. She said that she wanted to explore the city, and so she wandered away. I would go look for her myself, but since I haven't been here in Paris for so long my memory of the streets is a little rusty. I almost got lost myself after trying to look for her." Elise explained, staring at both assassins as she spoke.

"She has _never_ visited this city," Sylvain added, turning to look at Aurèle again.

"She had always remained under the care of the Brotherhood as a child while her father was away on missions, and her mother is dead so she never really traveled out of Rennes much." Elise stated.

"So I'm sending you to go look for Marceline and bring her here." Sylvain told him. Aurèle exhaled. He wanted to ask Sylvain how he would be able to find her; he didn't even know how she looked like.

"Marceline has dark hair and brown eyes, and she's wearing a light blue dress. I _know _that this information won't help you much since there has to be many other girls with the same description wearing blue dresses today, but if you're anything like your father I trust that you have his special talent." Elise grinned at Aurèle and pointed at her eye. Before Aurèle could reply, Sylvain spoke up.

"Of course, just use your instincts to find her." he agreed. "I suggest you go find her now before something happens to her."

* * *

All he could see through the mute gray were a few random red and blue figures. He couldn't see a single speck of gold anywhere, and with huff he shifted out of Eagle Vision back to normal vision. He stood on the edge of the rooftop he was one and looked down to the crowd of the people below him. The bells were tolling not far off in the distance, announcing that it was now three o'clock in the afternoon. It was a little past one when he left to go find Marceline and he couldn't find the woman anywhere. He had looked through most of the city already, going from where the headquarters was located near the city entrance to all the way across the city and he never saw the bright gold figure that he had been searching for. He became frustrated eventually, and had decided to head back to the Seine which was where he first started his search.

He made his way down from the building he was standing on, and once he was on ground level again he began walking toward the river where a few people were walking alongside it. He still couldn't understand how a grown woman had wandered away and gotten lost in a city she knew nothing about. Well at least he assumed that who he was looking for was a grown woman. The vague description they had given him of her was of absolutely no help. There were many women with dark hair and brown eyes in Paris, and of course she couldn't be the only one wearing a blue dress that day, just as Elise had said.

He walked alongside the river, looking down into the water as he shoved his hands into his pockets, feeling the hidden blade he had forgotten he had strapped on press against the inside of his forearm. Aurèle stopped walking when he reached one of the many bridges that crossed the river and frowned. Where the hell could the woman be? He walked onto the bridge, and as he made his way to the other side he shifted back into Eagle Vision, observing the area around him once again to see if he couldn't spot any gold out of all the blues and reds that stood out against the gray around him.

Just as he was about to shift back into normal vision again, he saw a flash of gold on the other side of the bridge and stared at it. He blinked and shifted back into normal vision to see that standing in the place of the gold figure he had seen was a woman about his age, with long dark brown hair and dark eyes wearing a simple light blue dress and matching jacket standing in the middle of the street, glancing around her and looking rather angry. He sighed, relieved to finally have found Elise's lost apprentice… well she wasn't exactly lost anymore.

He began making his way toward her, pushing past a few people and cursed under his breath when he saw her turn around and walk away, blending in with the mid-afternoon crowd. He hesitated for a moment, wondering if she even _wanted _to be found before going after her. Whether or not she wanted to be found or not, he was still going to take her back to headquarters. Aurèle pushed past a few people, ignoring the glares that were sent his way as he did so and focused instead on keeping track of Marceline's retreating figure. He lost sight of her for a second before he saw her making her way into an alleyway.

Earning even more glares from the people around him as he pushed past the crowd a little more to get to the alleyway. When he made his way to the alley's entrance, he look down the narrow street to see nobody there, and he realized not soon after that the alley had no outlet—it lead to a dead end. How could he have lost track of her, in an alley with no outlet? He couldn't possibly have, for all he knew she was probably hiding behind the stack of crates near the end. Making his way over there, he glanced up to see if there was any way she could have possibly climbed up to the rooftops assuming she could, but upon seeing there were no footholds anywhere to help with the ascent upwards he dismissed that possibility.

Wondering where stack of crates he turned around to make his way back to the main street, but paused when he saw something from the corner of his eye and before he could turn around to see what it was, somebody pounced on him and shoved him to the ground. Just as he hit the ground, Aurèle unsheathed his hidden blade and was about to shove his assailant off him before suddenly feeling something cold press against his neck. He stopped the breath in his throat hitching as he looked up to meet two light brown eyes with his own hazel ones.

"Why did you follow me here?" the woman demanded. He blinked a few times, focusing his attention on the woman on top of him whom he recognized as Marceline who was pinning him to the ground with a dagger to his throat. She stared down at him, her brows furrowed and her lips curved into a scowl. Aurèle made his shove of her off only for her to add pressure to his neck with the dagger she was holding.

"Because somebody sent me to look for you-" he began before Marceline pressed the blade harder against his throat, and he could actually feel the blade starting to cut into his skin.

"Who would send _you _to look for _me?_" she asked him skeptically.

Narrowing his eyes at her, Aurèle sheathed his blade again and quickly grabbed her wrist, pushing the blade away from his throat and catching Marceline by surprise in the process before pushing her off him. Before she could react, he pinned her to the ground and grabbed her wrist, pushing it against the street with enough force to make her let it go. Marceline growled and tried escaping his grip, looking over to the dagger which was only a foot away from them before glaring up at Aurèle.

"Let go of me!"

"Listen to me-"

"I said let go!" Marceline shouted kneeing him above his groin. Aurèle winced and bit his lip, but didn't let go of her, ignoring the pain instead. It wasn't as intense in comparison to the pain he would have felt if she had kneed him a little lower. Marceline opened her mouth and let out a scream before Aurèle clapped his hand over her mouth and glared at her.

"Calm down! I'm not here for the reason you think I am. I was sent to find you by Elise."

At the mention of Elise, Marceline paused and stared at him, ceasing her struggle to escape his grasp. When she was calm enough, Aurèle took his hand away from her mouth and let go of her, letting her sit up. Marceline spat to the ground next to her, wiping her mouth before looking back up to him.

"Elise sent you to look for me?" Marceline asked him, eying him skeptically.

"Your name is Marceline, isn't it?

Marceline hesitantly nodded her head. "And you are…?"

"My name is Aurèle Armand. I'm the one fortunate enough to be sent to look for you."

"Oh…." Marceline frowned as she continued staring at him before scooting backwards a little. She scrutinized him for a few seconds more before continuing. "Elise is looking for me?"

"Yes."

"What color dress is she wearing?"

"What?" Aurèle stared at her, unable to believe that she would ask such a question at a time like that and thought that she was joking, but when she didn't say another word and patiently waited for his answer he scoffed.

"I need to know that you really are who you say you are, now what color dress is she wearing?"

"Seriously?"

"Answer the question!"

"Green." Aurèle answered, irritation lacing his tone. Marceline smiled. "Do you believe me now?"

She giggled a little before nodding, catching Aurèle by surprise. A few minutes ago she was hostile, and now she was all giggles. Was she mad?

"I already believed you; I was just messing with you. You want to know why I believe you?"

"How?"

"Your hidden blade." she said and pointed at his left arm where he had it strapped onto his arm, hidden under his sleeve. Aurèle glanced down to his arm, holding it up before looking back up to her. "You're not wearing the robes of an Assassin, but your hidden blade is enough proof that you're an Assassin to me." she explained. "It's not smart to believe you solely because you have a hidden blade, I know."

"If you believe me, then why did you kick me?"

"I honestly didn't think you were going to rape me, or rob me. Assassins are taught better that, I should know. I guess I just panicked, I mean I've never been handled like that by a man before, or even touched by a man for that matter. There's my father, but he only hugged me like a father should and that was it."

Aurèle stood up and offered his hand to Marceline who waved it away before getting up herself.

"I should really take you over to headquarters." Aurèle told her, and Marceline nodded.

"Alright." she simply said. Aurèle stared at her in slight disbelief. He thought that it was going to be hard to convince her to go with him, especially after she had attacked him the way she did. "You know your way around the city, right?" she asked him.

"I was born and raised here, of course I know."

"Good, then let's go. I'm sure Elise will kill me wandering away from her the way I did…but I have a question."

"Yes?"

"The meeting is over by now, no?"

"What meeting?" he asked her in confusion. He was never told about a meeting.

"What do you mean what meeting? Weren't you the one Elise and I were supposed to meet today along with Sylvain?"

"I suppose, but I was never told about a meeting."

"Then let's go; I'm sure they'll explain everything to you when we get there."

* * *

When they finally arrived at the tower, Marceline marveled at how a simple tower could disguise the entrance to the headquarters. She had been there before of course only once, but she was still amazed by it. Aurèle and Marceline made their way down the stairs in silence, and Aurèle led her to Sylvain's office in silence. The silence was beginning to feel awkward, so they were both relieved when they entered Sylvain's office to see the man and Elise speaking to each other, the both of them seated at the desk in the middle of the room.

"I found her." Aurèle announced, and both master assassins turned to look at them. Elise let out a relieved sigh upon seeing Marceline and stood up.

"What do you mean you found me? I found _you." _Marceline replied, grinning widely.

"Whatever you want to think." Aurèle replied indifferently, though he was somewhat annoyed with her response.

"Young lady, what were you thinking?" Elise scolded Marceline, who turned to look at her and frowned.

"I'm sorry for wandering off like that-" she began before Elise cut her off.

"That was a childish thing to do. You don't know this city well enough yet, so why would you just walk away from me like that? Do you know how worried I was?"

"Yes, I know, and I'm sorry." Marceline replied softly. Elise sighed.

"What's important is that you're safe."

"So…why did you call me here?" Aurèle turned to look at Sylvain, trying to get everybody focused on why they were there, and he still had no clue _why_ he was called over to meet Sylvain.

"I'm sure you've introduced yourselves, correct?" Sylvain looked up to see Marceline and Aurèle who both nodded in response.

"Yes." they said simultaneously.

"Good, now let's get to the point. Aurèle and Marceline, you two are going on a mission together."

"A mission?" Aurèle repeated, and Marceline sighed.

"Yes, a mission." she glanced over to him and he looked at her before Sylvain continued.

"As I was saying," Sylvain narrowed his eyes at both of them. "Both of you are going on a mission with Augustine."

"If you don't mind me asking," Marceline held a finger up and Sylvain turned to look at her. "Who's this Augustine?" she asked him.

"Aurèle knows who he is; you two will meet him at the location I specify." Sylvain answered.

"Oh…."

"Augustine couldn't be here because he's on another mission right now, and he already knows what this upcoming mission is about so he doesn't have to be here." Sylvain explained. "Now the mission: the Madame Royale's eleventh birthday is in two days, and there will be a ball held that day in her honor. That ball will serve as the perfect distraction and environment to execute that mission since everybody in the palace will be too preoccupied working on last details among other things. Security will be stricter, but Augustine will make it easier to get into the palace with the help of a few contacts he has in there."

"You three are to infiltrate the palace to retrieve important information regarding Templar plans," Elise continued, pausing for a moment before continuing again. "Aurèle, Marceline, both of you are to retrieve the documents with the information and when you do, get out of the palace immediately. Is that clear?"

"Yes. Marceline nodded. "But aren't there assassin moles in the palace? Not that I would rather them get the documents, it's just that I heard rumors and…I think it would be easier for them to get it."

"There are only a few moles in the palace as of now, but they will have to work during the ball so that when Louis realizes that the documents are gone he won't suspect them. And if he does then they have the perfect alibi. Besides, it's too dangerous to send them to get the documents themselves with the stricter security there will surely be that night" Sylvain explained.

"What's Augustine going to do?" Aurèle asked.

"Augustine will be looking for something of great value and importance while you two do that. You two will find out what that object is when the mission is over, depending on whether or not his part of the mission it successful."

"And if ours isn't successful?"

Sylvain frowned. "Do whatever you can to make it successful, understood?"

"Yes."

"Good. The mission is on the nineteenth. You two will receive more information the day before, until then I suggest you two get to know each other."

"What?" Aurèle and Marceline said simultaneously, and Elise smiled.

"That's a good idea. You two _will _see more of each other now." Elise agreed, and both Aurèle and Marceline turned to look at her. "Marceline and I moved here to live here; we're not going anywhere anytime soon."

"I thought we were only staying here for a few weeks." Marceline said, staring at Elise who shook her head.

"No, we're staying here for a long time. So it really is a good idea that you two get to know each other."

* * *

**A/N: **Madame Royale-How the eldest, unmarried royal daughter of the reigning king/monarch was called out of etiquette.

* * *

**_Edited: 3/22/13_**


	7. Party Crashers

**Chapter VII: Party Crashers**

_Paris  
__December 19th, 1789_

Sleep was something much welcomed those days, especially now that the usually short days of labor grew longer. After the long day of work the day before, he got home and went straight to bed. He didn't even bother changing out of the clothes he wore that day and instead slept in them. It didn't help that he would take a run through the city sometimes after he got out of work, running through the rooftops and going to his spot at the cathedral to clear his mind. Sometimes he wouldn't return home until after midnight, which was the case the night before. Work and sleep were what were keeping him sane, even though to others it might have seemed as though he were going mad. He didn't care though.

He woke up that morning to his sister nudging him awake, and though he knew that he had to get up and get ready for the day he refused to do so. Sleep was so inviting, and he just wanted to fall back into his slumber but when Lucille shook his shoulder again he inched away from her touch.

"What?" he groaned out irritably, his voice hoarse from having just woken up.

"Mother sent for you. She has a guest over, so get out of bed, wash up, and try not to make too much noise while you're getting ready. Grand-father is still sleeping." Lucille replied, and he listened as she left the room, closing the door gently behind her.

Oh, so his mother had sent for him. Aurèle rolled over onto his back and covered his eyes with his right forearm, not moving from where he laid for a few minutes before reluctantly getting out of bed. He reluctantly changed into cleaner clothes, blinking the sleep away from his eyes as he did so before making his way down to the second level of the house. He then made his way over to the washroom and quickly washed up before heading down to the main floor, now feeling more alert than he had been a short while ago.

As he made it to the last step, he heard laughter coming from the direction of the kitchen and walked over to the small room, peeking in out of curiosity only to see Sabine sitting at the table with her hands cupping a mug of coffee set on the table before, and Elise, who was sitting across from Sabine sipping from her own mug of what he assumed was coffee. He watched as Elise set her mug down and the two continued talking before his mother looked up to where he stood and smiled at him, and he couldn't help but smile back. For the first time in weeks his mother looked genuinely happy, which came both as a surprise and a relief. He hated seeing his mother as upset as she had been the past month. He looked up as Elise followed Sabine's gaze, taking in another sip from her cup as she did so.

"Elise told me that you two have already met. Why didn't you tell me that she was in the city?" Sabine demanded, though she didn't seem to be upset at not having been told that her childhood friend was back in Paris.

"I forgot." Aurèle answered her, still standing at the doorway. That was partly a lie. He had remembered about Elise when he got home the other day, but he never got around to telling his mother that she was back in Paris so he did eventually forget to tell her.

"Well you shouldn't have forgotten, you don't know how much I've missed her. We were the best of friends as girls and it was horrible having lost contact with her all those years ago." Sabine responded as Elise set her mug down. Aurèle was about to ask how it could have been possible for them to have lost contact with each other if they were such close friends but Elise quickly answered that without him even having to ask.

"More than a year after I moved to Rennes I was sent to Turkey, and from there your mother and I lost contact with each other for protective reasons. There couldn't be any known connections between me and the city while I resided in Turkey. I returned to France about seven years ago, but wasn't able to contact your mother due to reasons that don't really matter right now." Elise explained. Aurèle nodded, not knowing exactly what to say. It was unbelievable how his mother seemed to brighten up after seeing somebody she hadn't contacted or seen for about twenty years, but if she was happy then he was fine with that.

"I'm heading to the market now." Lucille announced as she suddenly poked her head into the kitchen.

"I just remembered," Elise glanced at Lucille. "Where's Marceline?"

"I think she went outside for a walk."

"Oh, of course…a walk…." Elise shifted her gaze to Aurèle. "Aurèle, can you do me a favor?"

"Yes?"

"I was hoping if you would show Marceline around the area?" Elise asked him.

"That's right; Elise was telling me that she was hoping you would show Marceline around the city. That is if you don't have anything to do today." Sabine added. Aurèle didn't exactly know how to react to such a request. He was annoyed with Marceline from the way she had tackled him in the alley, but then again he didn't really have anything to do until he had to leave for work later that morning. He nodded, reluctant to do what was just asked of him.

"I'll show her around." he said without much enthusiasm but his mother and Elise didn't seem to have caught on.

"Thank you so much! She had been rather restless since I won't let her wander off. I don't want a repeat of what happened the other day and I won't let go out by herself until she at least as an idea how to get around the city. I don't have time to show her around myself since I'm busy with tasks that have been asked of." Elise responded, smiling at him before he left the kitchen, leaving her and his mother alone once again. He walked down the hallway to the door to see Lucille putting on her jacket while standing in front of the front door.

"How long has Elise been here?" he asked her as he walked up to her. Not that he really cared how long she had been there, he was just curious.

"Um…about an hour, She said that she has some errands to run today, but that she stopped by here first." Lucille responded while she buttoned her jacket. "I just can't believe how mother can be so open to somebody she hasn't seen in years, even if they _were _childhood friends. And Marceline…I haven't seen much of her since Elise came here but she seems to be nice." Lucille looked up to Aurèle before reached over and placing her hand on the door knob. "Listen, I'm running late and I have to go meet Michel near the market so I'll see you later." she said before leaving the house, closing the door gently behind her and leaving her brother standing in the foyer by himself.

He was surprised that Lucille wasn't avoiding Michel like the plague anymore, but didn't really think much of it as he turned around and made his way upstairs to get his jacket and put on his boots. He then headed back downstairs and left the house without another word to his mother or Elise. It was starting to snow when he stepped out into the street, the flakes sprinkling down from the sky above and sticking to everything.

"They aren't going to be done anytime soon, are they?" came the voice from his left. He looked over to see Marceline walking up the street toward the front porch, her hands in her pockets and her nose and cheeks were a pinkish hue from the cold weather.

"What are you doing out here in the cold?"

"I wanted to explore the city, but I know that Elise will be angry with me again I do happen to get lost…again." she replied before sighing. "She hasn't let me out of her sight much since the day I got lost in the city."

"You're in luck then, Elise asked me if I can show you around the area."

At that Marceline's mood seemed to lighten up a little and she smiled. "Really? You'll show me around?" Her smile then turned into a sheepish grin and she cleared her throat. "Listen, I'm sorry about pouncing on you like that the other day. I honestly am."

"Don't worry about it." Aurèle responded, but in truth he was still a little upset at how easily he had let his guard down enough for her to attack him the way she did, but she didn't seem to be bad. She didn't _seem _to be bad but he still had yet to actually know her so he couldn't judge her from what she had done. He began walking down the street with Marceline walking alongside him. It was silent for a minute before Marceline broke the silence.

"Are you sure you're not mad?"

"I'm not mad."

"You're lying."

"I'm not lying."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure." he said, not getting annoyed with her.

"Alright. If you say so." Marceline shrugged.

* * *

During the next hour they had spent together Aurèle had learned that Marceline was an only child having never known her mother, and that she had been raised by her father whenever he wasn't out on a mission. In fact he learned a lot about her during those sixty minutes, but he wasn't exactly listening to her which made him feel guilty at some point. He had shown her a good part of the city during that time and would have shown her more, but Elise was probably waiting for Marceline back at the house and he had to go to work soon. That was how they found themselves walking alone the Seine on their way back to the house. It had had stopped snowing not long ago, leaving behind a thin sheet of snow in its wake. They had been walking in silence for a while now, a silence that was later broken once again by Marceline.

"So…your mother seems like a nice woman, but what about your father? I didn't see him there."

"My father's been dead for nine years." Aurèle answered her and he was surprised at how casual he sounded, although after nine years he supposed he wouldn't be as hesitant to share that information as he had been years before.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Marceline quickly apologized and he could see that she was uncomfortable now as she turned her attention somewhere else. "Listen, I'd like to thank you for showing me around. I was really, and I mean _really _bored the past few days. There was nothing I could do other than accompany Elise during her errand runs."

"You're welcome." Aurèle couldn't blame her for being so grateful of the fact that he had taken her out into city since he himself hated staying home with nothing to do. He studied her for a few seconds, deep in thought but those thoughts were lost when Marceline bumped into somebody, a man wearing what seemed to be the finest clothes only worn by the bourgeoisie.

"Watch where you're going!" the man said in a snarky tone as Marceline pushed away from him, putting her hands to her chest and looking up to him apologetically.

"Oh, I'm sorry! I wasn't looking where I was going." she apologized. The man stared at her for a few seconds before nodding, his lips tugged into a small smile.

"That's quite alright my dear; just please watch where you're going. As for you," the man turned to Aurèle who standing at the side and frowned. "Watch her, women need men to help them have a sense of direction. I'm sure you understand that that they can be daft at times, so please be a gentleman and do just that." the man said before making her way around Marceline and walking off, leaving the woman standing there with a scowl.

"What did he say?" she said through gnashed teeth, her gaze fixed on the man as he walked away.

"You know how arrogant the bourgeoisie can be sometimes," Aurèle said as he continued walking along the river bank, Marceline following after him a few seconds later.

"You know, I don't feel guilty at all about robbing that pig blind. Not that I did feel guilty in the first place." Marceline replied and just as Aurèle was about to ask her what she meant, Marceline took her hands away from her chest and revealed a large coin pouch tied with some string cupped in her hands. Aurèle glanced at the pouch for a quick and looked away before looking back down at her hands.

"You stole his money?" he didn't sound as surprised as he thought he would, but then again he was more worried than surprised. If the man happened to realize that his money was gone he was sure to send the guards on them, and that was something he hoped didn't happen. Marceline rolled her eyes as she tried to shove the pouch into her pocket.

"Of course, why do you think I bumped into him in the first place? You know as well as I do that money is becoming more difficult to obtain in this economy. You work, don't you?"

"Yes, I know how horrible the economy is-"

"Then do you have a problem with pick pocketing?"

"I don't have a problem with pick pocketing, Marceline." Aurèle replied irritably as he took hold of her arm and practically dragged her farther down the river bank. "I'm more worried about the guards. If the idiot does realize you pick-pocketed all his money then we're screwed because I don't have any weapons on me and I assume you don't either."

"What? Not even your hidden blade?"

"I forgot to bring something with me."

"What kind of assassin are you?"

"The type that forgets that kind of thing when he was supposed to only show some 'lady' around the city because _nothing _like this was supposed to happen!" he retorted. "What about you? Do you have anything on you?"

"No, I don't." Marceline snatched her arm away from him and crossed her arms across her chest, and just as she opened her mouth to say something else they both heard somebody call angrily at them from behind.

"Hey you two over there! Stop!"

Aurèle and Marceline glanced over their shoulders to see a guard walking toward them with the man that Marceline had bumped into following after him. A feeling of dread washed over both of them as the bourgeois pointed menacingly at them, the man's face contorted into that of pure anger. "_She _took my money!" the man shouted angrily.

"You two stay right there!" the guard called not long after.

"I'm guessing that there's no point in trying to reason with them, right?" Marceline turned to look at Aurèle who gave her a look that screamed 'Are you serious?!'

"You try reasoning with guards?"

Marceline huffed as she grabbed fistfuls of the front of her dress before breaking out into a sprint. "I was kidding!" she called back, looking over her shoulder to look at Aurèle who was chasing after her. The snow crunched under their feet as they ran, the snow drifting down in a steady shower blurring their vision a little. Without thinking, Marceline ran into an alleyway and just as she did she felt somebody grab her arm and she stopped in her tracks, tripping over the front of her dress. When she caught her balance she snatched her arm away and twirled around to see to see Aurèle panting and glaring at her, his cheeks rosy red from the cold.

"What was that for?"

"Where are you going?" Aurèle countered. Marceline scoffed as she turned and began a slow pace down the alley.

"Does it matter as long as we don't get caught by them?" she replied. She could hear him following her, the snow crunching louder under his feet than it was under hers.

"You're in a city you know nothing about and you run off like that? I'm not going to go off looking for you if you get lost again."

Marceline frowned and stopped in her tracks again, turning around and opening her mouth to say something before they both heard a man shouting angrily from the main street. The two young assassins both turned to the direction of the alley's entrance to see a guard passing by it along with the bourgeois following closely behind him, noticeably out of breath. The man stopped at the alley's entrance and looked down into the alley.

"Shit." Aurèle cursed softly and before Marceline could react, he grabbed her by the arm and pulled her behind a stack of crates. They both remained quiet and looked through the cracks in the crates as the man wavered at the alley's entrance before continuing on his way. Aurèle let out a breath in relief while Marceline sighed rather loudly, stepping away from him before continuing her way down the other side of the alley.

"So we go to your house now, right?" she asked him, glancing over her shoulder to look at him as he followed closely behind her.

"Where else are we going to go? I have to go to work and Elise is probably waiting for you…did you used to get into a lot of trouble back in Rennes?"

"No…" Marceline answered as Aurèle finally caught up to her.

"It's a miracle you never did."

* * *

It snowed on and off the rest of the day. There were moments when the snow wouldn't stick but by the time the sun had set everything was covered in a blanket of white frost that reached mid-leg, not quite reaching the knees. The streets were practically deserted save for a few people out in the streets either making their way home or up to something else, not that Aurèle really cared what they were up to anyway. Actually he didn't care about anything other than going home. His arms were sore from having worked most of the day and all he wanted was to take a nap. When he had returned back home earlier with Marceline he went to work with his grandfather who didn't really do anything most of the day other than supervise the employees but it was preferable that the old man didn't so such labor done at a smithy in his old age anyway. Blaise had gone home a few hours before closing, leaving his grandson there to help close.

It began snowing again by the time he got back home, covering him in flakes. He barely even registered his mother speaking to him when he entered the house but he did stop to greet her before going upstairs, the only thing he could focus on was going up to his room so that he could lay down in bed which was exactly what he did. He didn't even bother getting out of his clothes which were now dampening with the snow having stuck to them melting away now and instead collapsed on the bed, his eyes almost immediately closing once his head hit the pillow. He had closed his eyes for what seemed like only a few minutes before there was a knock on the door, waking him up. He groaned in irritation and reluctantly pushed himself out of bed when there was another knock on the door, ignoring how much his arms protested the movement.

"I'm coming." he called out tiredly as he stumbled through the darkness, careful not to stub his toe on anything before reaching the stairs that led up to his room. He carefully made his way down the steps in the dark before finally reaching the door, and when he opened it he was greeted by his grandfather who stood before the door, smiling at him.

"Tired aren't we?" Blaise said with a chuckle upon seeing how disoriented his grandson was. "May I suggest going to bed at night instead of going out into the city going who-knows-where and doing who-knows-what?"

"I'll do that." Aurèle replied, stifling a yawn. He knew that his grandfather was probably thinking that he had been immersing himself in the vices the city had to offer when he went out at night, but really he had been having trouble going to sleep at night for some time and so went out for a walk or a nice run across the rooftops to the other side of the city which usually left him tired.

"This came for you," Blaise held up a folded piece of paper and it was only then that Aurèle realized that his grandfather had been holding that and had something wrapped in a cloth in his other hand. Aurèle took the note from his grandfather who then held up whatever he had bundled in his hand. "You know I don't really agree with the way Sylvain is running things, and it's occurred to me that he had been trying to make things difficult for you and your brother. Still is. Valentin, however, is sticking with Iven's ways." Blaise said, referring to the head of the Parisian Assassins before Sylvain.

"And he said that you've earned the next rank and that this now belongs to you." Blaise handed the bundle to Aurèle who took it into his hands and opened it, revealing a hidden blade with a bracer simple of design unlike the one he had now that had the French version of the Assassin insignia on it. "Your second hidden blade; it's the same design as the one you have now, only with a detachable blade." the old man explained. "If you didn't know, the detachable blade design was brought over to France from Britain many years ago. Its popularity diminished at some point, but it's making a comeback."

"Thank you." Aurèle looked up as his grandfather nodded his head and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"The one you should be thinking is Valentin." Blaise patted his shoulder before turning around and walking back down the hall.

* * *

_*Later that night…_

_"Meet M. and A. at seven tonight near the Tuileries Palace. Try not to draw too much attention to yourself as the area will be heavily guarded."_

Aurèle looked up from the note and at the palace from where he stood on the bridge, wondering how in the world Augustine could get them inside in the first place. There was no way they could climb the fence, no footholds on the exterior of the palace to climb to the rooftop and even if there were they would have been caught by the guards. There were at least two hundred guards surrounding the outer grounds around the palace and that wasn't an exaggeration; obviously the palace grounds were going to be heavily guarded more so for that night seeing as thought it was Princess Marie's eleventh birthday celebration.

He watched from where he stood, leaning against the bridge's rail as horse driven carriages were driven in through the palace's main gates and as those invited filed out of carriages and toward the palace's main entrance. From afar he could see that the men and women alike were all wearing masks and it took him a few seconds to realize that they were wearing masquerade masks. So it was a masquerade party, though he didn't know if that was a good or a bad thing mission wise.

A few minutes passed and there wasn't a sign of neither Augustine nor Marceline, assuming that Marceline already knew her way to the Seine after the tour of the city he gave her earlier. He could hear the bells sounding off not far from where he stood, announcing that it was now seven o'clock. He had arrived at the Seine moments ago, having left home as soon as he could after reading the note back there having realized that there were only forty minutes before seven o'clock. And there he was waiting, feeling stupid as he did so.

There he was standing on the bridge trying to keep his teeth from shattering and shivering every few seconds from how cold it was outside. It was _freezing _and there was no sign of Marceline or Augustine anywhere. He pulled his hood down a little over his face as a few people walking by him, eyeing him curiously and just as he did so somebody walked up to him and tapped him on the shoulder. He turned to see Marceline standing next to him now, her cheeks and nose rosy red from the cold and her breath coming out in short puffs of smoke.

"I didn't keep you waiting long, did I?" she asked him as she pulled her hood over her head and it was then that he realized that she was no longer wearing a dress, but was instead wearing the robes of an assassin with a hidden blade strapped to each arm.

"Not long enough to give me hypothermia." he answered, curling his fingers which were starting to feel stiff from the cold. He was wearing fingerless gloves but those wouldn't really do much to protect his hands from the cold.

"So where's this Augustine person we're supposed to meet?" Marceline asked him as she rubbed her hands together. Aurèle sneered. Knowing Augustine he was probably around the area somewhere, waiting for them to go look for him. "Why do I get the impression that you don't like him?"

Aurèle didn't reply as he shifted into Eagle Vision and looked around, his eyes scanning the area for any golden figure among the gray hues surrounding him before finally spotting the golden speck near the palace fence. He shifted back to his normal vision to see Augustine leaning against the fence with his arms crossed over his chest, grinning at him. With a sigh, he began walking towards the fence with Marceline walking alongside him. When they finally reached Augustine the man pushed himself off the fence and stretched his arms out.

"So she's the new one, what's her name? Marcy?" Augustine observed Marceline who crossed her arms across her chest.

"It's Marceline." she corrected. Augustine smiled.

"You're pretty, did you know that?" Augustine commented. Marceline blushed, adding more color to her already rosy cheeks and let out a breath.

"Can you just take us in there already? I'd like to get this mission over with." Marceline said impatiently.

"Eager to do her job, I like that."

"Augustine." Aurèle grumbled. Augustine nodded and turned toward the direction of the palace, waving his hand at them to follow him.

"I have a contact in the palace who told me of a secret entrance into the place," Augustine explained as he led them to a manhole and stopped before it. "My contact said that the documents you two are looking for might be in one of the king's studies, probably the main one on the second floor of the palace. You two already know that once you've retrieved the documents that you must get out immediately." Augustine knelt down and lifted the cover off the manhole before looking up at them. "Ladies first," he offered, pointing down the manhole.

"Thank you…." Marceline thanked hesitantly before sitting on the edge and looking down into the sewer before carefully making her way down. Augustine looked up at Aurèle who looked down into the sewer and without warning jumped down into the hole which wasn't as deep as he expected it to be. In fact it wasn't a sewer at all but a tunnel, the ceiling was only about a foot above his head. He didn't even notice when Augustine put the cover back over the manhole as he made his way down, engulfing them in total darkness.

"Hey, not to impose or anything but can you lead us out of the tunnel with that second sight of yours?" Augustine inquired.

"Second sight?" Marceline repeated.

Aurèle shifted into his second sight with a frown, the walls of the tunnel now a gray hue around him and Marceline and Augustine a bright blue next to him. "What, there are no torches here? Not even a lantern?" he asked as he began making his way down the path. He could feel who he believed was Marceline place her hand on his shoulder as she and Augustine followed after him.

"I don't know." was Augustine's reply.

"I was told that Eagle Vision was a myth," Marceline spoke up. "and I believed so only because I never met anybody with it."

"Well then you're meeting one of the few Assassins who have Eagle Vision. It is becoming rare for people to be born with it now I suppose, Aurèle, his father, and his grandfather are the only ones I know about who have it…or had it." Augustine clarified. Aurèle didn't say a word as he continued leading them through the tunnel until he reached a set of stairs and carefully made his way down it in the darkness before reaching a wooden door.

"There's a door here." Aurèle announced as he reached for the knob and though he was expecting it to be locked he was surprised when it opened. Pushing the door open, he stepped into a dimly lit room and quickly shifted back to his normal vision. He looked around, taking in the new room that they were in as Augustine gently pushed past him and Marceline who know had taken her hand off his shoulder.

"This is a dungeon…." Marceline remarked, following both Aurèle and Augustine while taking in the stone walls and the empty cells they were passing by before following both men up a set of stairs that led to yet another door. Augustine turned the knob and pushed the door open, frowning as he did so.

"This is turning out to be quite easy." he muttered before stepping into what looked like a meeting room. He walked over to a door at the far side of the room and cracked it open, peeking out only to see that the door led out into a hallway. He opened the door wider and looked down both sides of the hall, glancing over his shoulder as he stepped out into the room and pointed down the right side of the hall. "There's a staircase down there that I think leads to the second floor. You two go do what it is you have to do while I go down this way, good luck." Augustine told Aurèle and Marceline before turning and heading down the hallway. Marceline and Aurèle stepped out of the room and watched as Augustine made his way down the hall before looking down the other side of the hall where the staircase was.

"You have to admit, this _is _pretty easy." Marceline remarked as both she and Aurèle made their way toward the staircase.

"The Templars probably knew we were coming." Aurèle replied, his voice echoing off the walls.

"Quiet!" Marceline hissed, glaring at him. They both remained quiet as they made their way up the stairs to the second floor. Once they were on the second floor they made their way down a hallway. "I thought that the king wasn't a Templar…." Marceline said after a while.

"He sort of is. My grandfather told me that supposedly Louis sides with the Templars, but I don't know anything else beyond that."

"Oh…." was all Marceline said as they continued down the hallway before meeting with what looked like railing…and a staircase? The hallway continued down but the sudden break with the staircase was new. It was only when they saw two guards walk up to the top of the staircase did they stop. Marceline quickly hid behind a column while Aurèle hid behind a statue in the hall and pressed himself against the wall, hoping that the poor lighting would help keep him hidden as he peeked around the statue.

"The Madame Royale is supposed to come out to greet her guests shortly, is she not?" one of guards asked, loud enough for the other to hear.

"Yes, in about five minutes or so." the other one replied.

"Where are we supposed to go now?" Marceline whispered over to Aurèle who turned his attention to her. "I think we're on the second floor, but how are we supposed to get past the guards?" she asked him. How were they going to get past the guards? The guards couldn't be killed without luring attention and seeing as there was no other way, he pushed himself off the wall and ran as quickly as he could toward the staircase, glancing over the railing to see that the staircase led down to a grand room filled with men and women wearing masquerade masks and conversing with one another. He looked up to see that there was another hallway behind the guards and quickly turned the corner before they could see him, glancing over his shoulder to see Marceline following after him.

"Are you _mad_?" she exclaimed as he ran down the hall, stopping when he met what he thought was a dead end only to see that it was not in fact a dead end and there he was standing in yet another hallway.

One side led to another staircase while the other led down an actual dead-end. Before he could make up his mind on which way to go he heard a door creak open and looked down the side that had the staircase at the end to see a man wearing a blue sash. Now who else other than King Louis would wear a blue sash? Aurèle watched as Louis closed the door to a room and turned to make his way up the staircase, disappearing a few minutes later.

"I think I found the main study." he told Marceline before quickly making his way to the door Louis had just closed, grabbing a hold of the knob and cursing under his breath when the door wouldn't budge. "It's locked." he turned to look at Marceline who was digging into an inner pocket in her robes before handing him what looked like pick-pocketing tools.

"I thought so." she said simply before leaning against the wall next to the door and waited patiently as he picked the lock.

When Aurèle finally picked the lock he handed Marceline back her pick-pocketing tools and opened the door, stepping into a room three times the size of his old room as Marceline pushed past him and close the door behind them.

"This room is huge." she said softly. One wall was completely covered in shelves full of books while another wall was covered with hunting trophies; one wall was completely covered with a painting of the royal family placed behind a large mahogany desk with papers scattered all over it; and at the far side of the room was a fire place with an ornate carpet surrounded by lavish armchairs, a painting of the king, the queen, and their four children. A painting that must have been commissioned before two of Louis and Marie Antoinette's children died.

"The documents have to be here somewhere." Marceline searched through the papers on top of the desk, careful to leave everything in place as she did so. "Can't you spot the documents with Eagle Vision?"

Aurèle shifted back into Eagle Vision and scanned the desk, frowning when he didn't see a white glow that indicated the documents they were looking for. "No," he turned to look around the room, not seeing a single white glow.

"Then we're going to be here all night looking for the right study if the documents aren't in here." Marceline grumbled as she continued skimming through documents. Aurèle was just about to shift back into normal vision when he spotted a white glow, but the object glowing wasn't what he expected. Instead a painting hanging on a part of the wall that wasn't occupied by bookshelves or hunting trophies was emitting a bright white aura.

"So your sister seems nice."

Aurèle snorted as he shifting back to his normal vision. "You don't live with her."

"Is she your only sibling?"

"No, my older brother died back in October, twelve days after my birthday." Aurèle answered with a frown as he walked up to the painting of what he assumed was the princess at a younger age. The pain of losing his brother was still new, but it wasn't as bad as it had been weeks before.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Marceline apologized. Aurèle didn't answer and gently pushed against the canvas, surprised when the canvas didn't push against the wall. "What are you doing?" Marceline called from across the room.

"There's something here…." Aurèle hesitantly pushed the painting aside, revealing a carefully cut hole in the wall about the size of the painting.

He pushed the painting aside more and looked into the hole, stopping when he saw what looked like a ball of silver with intricate lines emitting a faint golden glow. Curiously, he reached his hand into the hall to touch the orb which intensified in glow slightly as his fingers got closer to it and before he could touch it he felt somebody place a hand on his shoulder. Without thinking he turned around and before he could release the catch on his hidden blade he stopped upon seeing Marceline standing next to him, frowning as she eyed him with concern, a small stack of paper in her hands.

"Are you alright?" she asked him as she slid the painting back into place. "What was in there?"

"I-I don't…I mean…There was…." Aurèle stuttered, pointing at the painting. He stopped and stared at the painting for a few seconds before turning to Marceline who clutched the stack of paper and held it against her chest.

"I found the documents…." she turned to look at the painting. "What was behind there? I mean it must have been something bad, you're pale as a ghost." she reached out to push the painting aside again.

"No!" Aurèle quickly reached over and grabbed her wrist. He was tempted to let her slide open the painting again but didn't want her to. Whatever the orb was…he wanted so badly to hold it in his hands that it scared him and all he wanted to do was leave.

"What-" Marceline snatched her wrist away from him and let out an irritated breath. "Alright, fine. Let's go. We need to leave before Louis comes back." she turned around and headed for the door with Aurèle hesitantly walking after her, closing the door behind him once he was out in the hall again and followed Marceline back the way they came from. They then quickly ran past the guards, successfully getting past them once again without being detected before making their way back to the meeting room.

"I insist that this mission was way too easy, or maybe we're just that good at being stealthy." Marceline turned to look at Aurèle who remained quiet though he wasn't as pale as he was back in the study. "Again, I ask what was in there?" she reached for the door knob and pushed the door open.

"I don't know." Aurèle answered. He honestly had no clue what that…thing was. Marceline sighed and before she could rephrase her question she stopped and stood at the doorway. Before her stood two of the royal guards, both sitting casually in an arm chair each.

"They did know we were here…." she breathed, glancing at Aurèle who was now more alert than he had been before. One of the guards smirked at them and twirled a dagger in his hands.

"Of course we knew you were here, the boss-man said that a few Assassins might infiltrate the palace during the Madame Royale's birthday celebration. We were just waiting for you to come back the way you came from. Your friend was able to get by us, but you two might not be so lucky." the guard twirling the dagger stood up along with the other guard.

They both began making their way toward them and as they reached for their swords Aurèle quickly reached into his pocket. Marceline turned to see him pull out a smoke bomb and sighed in relief. Well that just might save them and keep them from being detected. She would rather they not get into a fight and attract attention.

Before the guards had time to react Aurèle threw the smoke bomb, instantly feeling the room with a dark cloud of smoke. The guards hunched over and coughed while Marceline held her breath ran to the door that lead down to the dungeon, releasing the catch of her hidden blade, detaching it from its sheath before using the dagger blade to stab the guard in the chest before quickly retracting it. Once at the door she quickly opened and glanced over her shoulder to look into the room to see both guards lying on the floor, dead.

"Let's go," Aurèle pushed past her and she could the cuff of his right sleeve was slightly bloody as was his hand. Marceline turned to follow him, wondering what could have been behind that painting that left him so scared.

* * *

_**Edited 3/23/13  
**_


	8. Accusations

**Chapter VIII: Accusations**

_December 24th, 1789_

Marceline never imagined that she would have to climb to the top of the Notre Dame, mostly because she thought she'd never leave the city she had grown-up in. But there she was, searching for any footholds she could hold on to as she made her way up the cathedral. When Lucille told her that he most likely would be on top of the Notre Dame she had to wonder why somebody would try so hard to isolate himself from everything and she was still wondering why, not that she really found it strange after how reserved he had been after they returned from the mission a few days before.

She tried to get him to tell her what was behind the painting in Louis' study but he refused to tell her, insisting that it was nothing and so she eventually assumed that he was only over-reacting over nothing and stopped asking. He was still out of it when they returned to Sylvain later that night to deliver the documents and that was when they found out that their part of the mission was the only one that didn't result in a failure that night. Sylvain was none too pleased that Augustine came back empty handed after complications arose and he was forced to leave without whatever it was that he was supposed to retrieve, and for a moment Marceline thought that whatever the object Augustine failed to find must have been what Aurèle saw in Louis' study but decided that she really didn't care.

She broke out of her thoughts when she realized that she had been fruitlessly reaching up to find another foothold and that she had finally reached the top. Her cheeks and ears burned with embarrassment while she climbed onto the roof and crawled away from the edge, thankful that nobody was around to see her pointlessly waving her hand around. Standing up, she took a ribbon out of her coat pocket and tied her hair up, mindful of the fact that she was still close enough to the edge and if she were to take a few steps backwards she would fall to her death. Shuddering at the thought, Marceline scanned the rooftop before spotting him lying in the middle of the roof with his arms crossed behind his head.

"Hey!" she called out as she walked over to him, stopping a foot in front of him when she noted that he had his eyes closed and assumed that he was sleeping. But who was crazy enough to sleep outside in the cold and risk getting hypothermia? Oh wait…that person was lying right in front of her. Before she could kneel down and wake him up he cracked his eyes open and glanced in her direction, frowning when he saw her.

"What are you doing up here?"

"I had been looking for you. Somebody game to me earlier and told me that Sylvain is looking for us and that it's important that we go see him as soon as possible. The man was pretty nice actually; I think his name starts with a 'G.'"

"It was probably Gabriel." Aurèle mumbled as he closed his eyes again.

"That isn't important right now, we have to go. Sylvain doesn't look like a patient man."

Aurèle grinned and opened his eyes to look at her again. "He's not."

"Then shouldn't we go now?"

"My brother used to take his sweet time whenever Sylvain sent for him just to annoy him. I think I'll honor his memory by not showing up just to annoy the hell out of Sylvain."

Marceline rolled her eyes and shook her head, crossing her arms across her chest and turned her attention to the skyline out in front of her. She had seen the impressive view from where she stood before when Aurèle showed her around the city. Churches, government buildings, the Tuileries Palace, _everything, _or if not everything then most of the city was visible from where she stood. She could only imagine how everything looked like at night if the view was that impressive during the day.

"What are _you_ doing up here?" she asked and looked down to see him sitting up now, staring at the skyline but his mind seemed to be elsewhere. He didn't respond and instead remained quiet and for a moment Marceline thought he wouldn't answer her before he finally broke the silence, craning his head up to look at her.

"I come up here to clear my mind." was his reply before turning his attention back to the view in front of him.

"Do you have a lot on your mind?"

"Yes, but it isn't really my place to complain."

"And if you were to complain?"

He sighed and didn't answer her again, remaining silent for a moment as he considered what he was about to say. "I'd complain about how high taxes are, how they keep increasing, and how scarce food is becoming. I'd complain about how I work long hours and get paid so little that I can't possibly help my grandfather pay the rent because then most of it goes toward taxes. But like I said, it's not my place to complain—I just worry. That's why I like coming up here because it's the only place I can escape from everything if only for a few hours a day."

Marceline considered what he said for a moment, finding it sad that even somebody their age had to worry about their finances. "Hopefully everything will get better one day."

"Right…better." he said bitterly before standing up and stretching. "Come on," he started for the edge of the roof with Marceline following closely behind him.

"I thought you said that you wanted to honor your brother's memory by not showing up." she stated, a hint of sarcasm to her tone.

"I was kidding."

"I know."

* * *

It was a relief when they finally made it to the Tower. Upon entering headquarters they were greeted by warm air, something very much welcomed after being in the cold for so long. Marceline rubbed her hands which began to warm up a little more do to the friction and she would have loved to warm up by the fireplace but instead followed Aurèle as he made his way across the foyer. She still had no clue where specific rooms were and was still impressed by how a simple, seemingly abandoned tower harbored an underground facility of such a size which everybody seemed unfazed by. Then again she had only been in Paris for less than a month so nobody could really blame her.

"You mind giving me a tour of headquarters too?" she asked as she looked around the room. A man with unruly dark hair sitting by the fireplace who Marceline noted couldn't be any older than they were caught her attention when he looked up from a book he had open in his hand and smiled at her. Marceline glanced around, wondering if he was smiling at somebody else but they were alone and Aurèle's attention was somewhere so he had to be smiling at her right?

"It's much more fun if you explore the place instead…well, it was for me when I was first brought here. This was the best place to play hide and seek…" Aurèle began before trailing off. Marceline turned her full attention back to him to see him seemingly deep in thought as they approached two entrances.

"Are you alright?" she asked him, glancing over to the man sitting by the fireplace again to see that he was no longer staring at her but had his attention back on the book, glancing over at their direction once more before looking away. Why was he staring at them so much?

"Yeah…." Aurèle nodded his head as he continued his way to Sylvain's office with Marceline walking alongside him.

"So…Christmas is tomorrow." she began in an attempt to strike up conversation.

"Your point?" was his response. Marceline narrowed her eyes as she turned to look at him only to see that his attention was somewhere else.

"What's wrong with you? Ever since we left the palace you've been distant. Why don't you tell me what the hell it was that you saw in the study already?"

"Can you not bring that up? What's with your obsession with knowing what was behind that stupid painting?!" he snapped back.

"Well obviously you saw something there because whenever I try to get you tell me what you found you get really defensive!" Marceline retorted.

"Because I _don't _know what I saw in Louis' study, and I don't care to know! I don't even know what happened the moment I saw it. I just know that I was fucking scared, and I've never been so scared in my life. So can you just shut up and stop asking me already!"

"Sorry for being so concerned!"

"Nobody asked you to be concerned!"

"You…I…" Marceline balled her hands into fists and grinding her teeth in irritation. She sucked in a deep breath and blew it out a second later. There was a silence between them though it wasn't an awkward one; it was a much needed one. After a moment Marceline turned to look at him again and he in turn looked at her and she could see that he was still annoyed. "Can we start again?"

"Start what?"

"You know what? You're right, I need to stop being concerned over what was behind Louis' painting because it probably wasn't even important, and you'll probably never see it again. So I won't remind you about it. Are you fine with that?"

"That would be great." Aurèle answered as he looked away from her, grumbling something that she wasn't able to hear nor did she care to know what he said.

"Okay…Christmas is tomorrow." she said, feigning cheerfulness. Aurèle remained silent for a moment before replying.

"I know…." he replied, calmer now.

"Does your family have anything planned?"

"Not really. You know, with the whole religion doesn't really exist thing, Those Who Came Before, and Christmas being primarily a religious holiday my parents never really celebrated it."

"My father celebrated Christmas with me regardless."

Before Aurèle could reply somebody ran up behind them and before either could react, that person dug their hands under Aurèle's arm pits and the next thing Marceline knew he was laughing hysterically and doubling over, holding his stomach before throwing his elbow behind him, hitting whoever had been tickling him in the gut. Marceline looked over to see who had been tickling him seconds before to see the same man who was staring at them in the foyer leaning against the wall, holding his stomach but didn't seem to be in pain or if he was he was laughing too hard to show it. Aurèle turned around and for a second she thought he was going to tell the guy off for sneaking up on him like that but instead he smiled.

"Claude?" he said, his smile widening. The man, Claude, straightened up and clutched his stomach with one hand and smiled back at him.

"It was worth it." Claude groaned out, rubbing his stomach.

"So you're ticklish." Marceline mused, smiling in amusement as she leaned against the wall opposite of Claude and crossed her arms across her chest. Claude pointed at Aurèle with his thumb and grinned.

"This boy right here is _extremely _ticklish." he said.

"So you two know each other?" Marceline asked, slightly confused.

"Claude and I have known each other since we were five." Aurèle replied, turning to look at her and she noted that he didn't seem to be as annoyed with her as he had been moments before. "He and his sister went to Brittany back in October to visit their grandparents, and because his sister was getting married over there."

"My sister sends her greetings by the way."

"When did you get back?" Aurèle asked Claude, who cleared his throat before answering.

"I arrived back in Paris from Brittany with my parents this morning just in time for Christmas, but my sister stayed back in Brittany with her new husband." Claude answered, before glancing over to Marceline. "I'm assuming that you two know each other." he gestured over to Marceline. Aurèle nodded in response.

"This is Marceline, Marceline this is Claude." he reluctantly introduced.

Claude leaned close to Aurèle and smiled at Marceline. "Are you two…really close?" he whispered.

"Close…." Aurèle repeated before his eyes widened with realization. "No!" he turned to look at him and Claude couldn't help but laugh.

"No, no. Not like that! Obviously you two haven't reached that stage yet…that is if you two are seeing each other."

"What?!" Marceline hissed, glaring at the two, her cheeks reddening. "We're not seeing each other. We just recently met. I just recently came to the city and all we did was work together on a mission…" she quickly defended and Claude couldn't help but laugh again.

"I was kidding."

"Don't joke around like that." Aurèle pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head.

"Alright sorry." Claude apologized before his smile turned into a frown. "Hey…I heard about Alexandre, and I'm really sorry…." he trailed off when Aurèle nodded and glanced over to him.

"Don't mention that…alright?"

Claude nodded and took his hand off his stomach as he pushed himself off the wall. "I have to go see Valentin, so I'll see you later."

"He seems really nice." Marceline rolled her eyes, her cheeks still pink from earlier as Claude walked away.

"You're not mad, are you?"

"Oh no, I'm peachy." she replied sarcastically, shaking her head. "What a perverted friend you have there."

"You're over-reacting."

"I'm not over-reacting."

"And you think _I'm _over-reacting over nothing."

"Then why don't you tell me what you saw." Marceline retorted. When he didn't say anything Marceline smiled triumphantly. Well that shut him up. "You didn't answer."

"I don't have to explain anything to you." Aurèle replied. Marceline's smile turned into a frown. Neither said a thing after that as they continued on to Sylvain's office. When they finally reached the room they found the door open and hesitantly walked in to find Sylvain sitting at his desk, his head hung down as he combed his finger through his hair.

"Sylvain?" Aurèle spoke up and at that the man picked his head up and leaned back in his seat when he saw them.

"What are you two doing here?" Sylvain asked

"You sent for us earlier." Marceline answered. Sylvain nodded, pursing his lips as he stood up. He placed his hands on his desk and hung his head.

"Nothing went right that night did it?" the man began as he looked back up. "You two don't even know what I'm talking about though, so let me enlighten you two. No matter how far along in his training he is, Augustine is still incompetent and not able to complete missions and you two…well you two didn't even know that the documents you retrieved were fake so I can't really blame you."

"What do you mean the documents are fake?" Aurèle demanded, unable to believe that after he and Marceline broke into the palace to retrieve said documents that now he was accusing said papers to be fake.

"I got somebody to verify if the information they held were accurate and apparently they aren't. They're fake. I was going to send a group to go sabotage what the Templars were planning but now I don't even know what it actually is that they're planning anymore. The Templars somehow found out that you to were going to go fetch the documents and switched the real ones with fake ones. They're fake." Sylvain explained, placing his hand on the stack of papers on his desk that Marceline immediately recognized as the stack she retrieved a few nights ago.

"I can't say that both of you are at fault for retrieving something that is of no value, because neither of you two knew. I can't. No matter how much I _want _to blame you two I can't." Sylvain sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a frustrated groan. "I can blame Augustine for what he did because he backed out, you two didn't."

"What are you going to do now?" Marceline asked softly, averting her gaze somewhere else when the man glanced in her direction.

"Nothing. I can't send you two to go search for the real documents because who knows where they actually are. The Templars might expect me to send somebody to go search for the real ones but I'm not going to do that." he replied as he sat back down and ran his hand down his face. He held his chin and narrowed his eyes at both of them. "You." he pointed at Aurèle who raised a brow in confusion. What with him?

"Yes?"

"You're…well I can't say uncle. But Valentin is like one to you, right?"

"Yes." Aurèle replied hesitantly, not sure why Sylvain would bring that up.

"Valentin has suspicions that there is a traitor within the Brotherhood, which isn't really anything new. The Assassins have been infiltrated by Templars in many ways, and I'm starting to suspect that there's a mole but there's no proof, no evidence. And your brother, what was it that he told you before he did? Remind me."

Aurèle shifted his feet and reluctantly answered. "He said that there was a traitor."

"And did he know who?"

"No."

"As far as I know…the Templars knew about that mission the night your brother died and they sure as hell knew about the mission your father and Valentin went on nine years ago. So tell me…why shouldn't I believe that Valentin is the traitor?"

"Why the hell should you?!" Aurèle snapped, biting his tongue when Sylvain grinned and earned a look from Marceline.

"Defensive, aren't we? Well the man was like a father to you after your own died." Sylvain chuckled, shaking his head as he leaned back in his seat. He turned his gaze on Marceline and pointed at the door. "You can go; I have to talk to _him _alone."

Marceline nodded and hesitantly took a step backwards before turning around and walking out, leaving both of them alone.

"Where are you going with this?" Aurèle asked him, earning a look from Sylvain.

"It shouldn't really be a huge secret that I didn't really like your father for stealing your mother from me, and I have gotten over it believe me. I care about you and your siblings but there are just moments where I can't stand you just for being your father's son and yet at the same time I care deeply for you just because you also have your mother's blood. I admit it, alright? But this isn't one of those times, where I hate you, I'm just warning you that if you're working with the mole, or if you _are_ the mole I really won't hesitate to kill you." Sylvain remained silent for a moment before speaking again. "What's the third tenant of the Creed?"

Aurèle balled his hands into fists and gnashed his teeth together as he glared daggers at the man. Here was the Head of the Parisian Assassins admitting that he hated him and threatening to kill him, _and _accusing Valentin who was actually like an uncle to him with such a thing. "Never compromise the Brotherhood." he recited as calmly as he could.

"That's right. Now you can call me paranoid, but after I received the monthly report today I get news that there have been more than ten failed mission this month. _Ten_, not including yours and the month hasn't even ended yet. Everybody is a suspect, don't forget that. _Everybody._"

"And you're telling _me _this why?"

"Don't think I'm discriminating against you. I already told Elise this earlier and told her to tell Marceline. I'm telling this to every Assassin I can. I _will_ kill the one I find to be the mole. The Creed clearly specifies that you should not compromise the Brotherhood in anyway."

"I'm not the man you're looking for."

"I didn't say you were." Sylvain narrowed his eyes at him. "I'm still investigating everybody. And I _will _be watching you. If there's enough evidence against you I won't hesitate to slit your throat myself. This branch was in shambles before I came into power and I won't have it ruined again just because of one person."

"I'll keep that in mind." he grumbled, uncurling his fists before tightening them again.

"Now go." Sylvain waved his hand to dismiss him, and Aurèle turned around and let out a deep breath. Had the man gone mad?

* * *

_**Edited 3/23/13  
**_


	9. A Myth

**Chapter IX: A Myth**

_December 31st, 1789_

Sleep was something that he desperately needed and wanted. He would have loved to just close his eyes and take a nap but then there was the fact that he couldn't sleep no matter how hard he tried, and that alone frustrated him. It didn't matter much to him though. He was considering going upstairs to his room and at least try to get some sleep before a voice cut through his thoughts.

"Is something wrong? You're really quiet."

"What?" Aurèle looked over to the sofa adjacent from where he where Marceline was seated with a thin book wide open in her hands with a pencil held firmly in between her fingers.

"Were you taking a nap?"

"No."

"Not to sound rude, but you probably _should _take a nap. You look positively exhausted."

"I'm not tired." he replied childishly though he knew it was a lie. After working for so many days without much break and several nights of little to no sleep he felt _exhausted_, especially since his grandfather had now left him in charge with most everything Alexandre used to do. He never complained once, but he was pretty sure that if he kept the routine up that he would snap at some point.

"Of course you're not." Marceline turned her attention back to the book she had on her lap and pulled out the pencil she had tucked behind her ear.

The woman was becoming a regular presence in his life already, and he barely knew her still. Seeing as though she always accompanied Elise whenever the woman would visit his mother, he'd have to get used to her frequent presence eventually. Right at that moment he knew that his mother and Elise were chatting in the kitchen, while Lucille was who knew where, and his grandfather was upstairs taking a nap.

"Still, it wouldn't hurt to take a nap." she mumbled, interrupting his thoughts once again.

"Still, it wouldn't hurt to take a nap." she mumbled. Aurèle watched as she began working on whatever she was doing to the page before her. "I can't believe that Elise still drags me around the city with her as if I were a child. I think I'm perfectly capable of staying home alone."

"Are you sure? You won't go wandering out of the house out of boredom and get lost?

"I have an idea of how to get around now."

"You've been in the city for less than a month. I've lived here my whole life and I still get lost occasionally."

"That's you." Marceline replied, looking up briefly from what she was doing to look at him.

"What are you doing?" Aurèle asked her, ignoring her response. He tried not to show much interest, but he was somewhat curious in what it was she was doing in the book she was holding.

"I…like to sketch." she answered hesitantly.

"You draw?"

"Yes. My father loved art and was good at drawing and painting. I asked him to teach me a few years ago, and whenever he'd have time off he did…." she paused and tapped the opposite end of her pencil against the surface of the paper. "I would love to become an artist…but women aren't really given much recognition as such. Neither is it easy to find somebody willing to train a woman in art."

"Are you good at it?"

"I suppose so." she shrugged as she closed the book, leaving the pencil in between the pages.

"Do you want to share?"

"Sorry, but I don't really like showing people what it is that I do."

"It can't be that bad can it?"

Marceline stared at him for a few seconds before sighing and looking away. "Didn't you have training exercises or something with…what's his name again? Claude?" she asked in an attempt to change the subject.

"Sounds like you're not too-"

"Fond of him? No, not really. Or maybe it's just me. I just met him so I can't make any judgments on him…yet."

"You're slow on making judgments. It doesn't take me long to form an opinion on somebody."

"What? You already formed an opinion on me?"

Aurèle turned his full attention to her and just as he was about to reply a new voice joined in on their conversation.

"I'm not interrupting anything…am I?" They both turned to look at the doorway where Lucille was standing with her coat draped over her arm, throwing her brother a look. When a few seconds passed and neither of the two responded she continued, "I'm going out on an errand. Marceline, would you like to come with me?"

"Oh…sure…." Marceline answered hesitantly, slowly nodding her head as she did so. "Let me just go put this away." she stood up with her book in hand made her way out of the room, leaving both siblings alone.

"Why are you taking Marceline?" Aurèle asked Lucille. Not that he really cared much, he was just curious.

"I was going to ask you to come with me, but you don't look well rested enough to go out." she replied. "Besides, she only goes out whenever Elise goes out am I right? You aren't jealous I'm taking her instead, are you?"

"I couldn't care less."

"Of course you couldn't." Lucille shook her head and rolled her eyes. "And I know you. You would have said something stupid if you answered her question on your opinion of her. The last thing we all need is for you two to start bickering on New Year's Eve."

"You mean we can bicker tomorrow?" Aurèle grinned as his sister shot him another look.

"Maybe you should just go take a nap. You aren't going to work today anyway and you look exhausted."

"I _feel _exhausted."

Lucille stared at him for a few seconds before looking her shoulder just as Marceline passed by her and headed in direction of the kitchen. "It's strange starting off the New Year without…you know." Lucille turned back to look at Aurèle who only nodded in response. She looked down to her hands with a frown and cleared her throat. "And I heard about that…you wouldn't call it an 'incident' would you? What Sylvain told you the other day?"

"I'm just going to ignore him for now. He's been going off on everybody a lot lately."

"Right…I should get going now." Lucille turned around and before she made her way out of the room she paused and glanced over her shoulder to look at him. "And please go take a nap. Those bags under your eyes are really bothering me."

* * *

_July 18th, 1790_

It was hot that day, a bit warmer than usual and the fact that the sunlight was beaming right down on them wasn't helping. They would have gone back home or under the shade already to escape the heat but they'd have to wait a bit longer for that. He could feel beads of sweat running down his forehead and wiped them away. There was the occasional breeze that would cool them down but it had been a while since they got such relief. It was amazing how fast most of the year gone by, and fortunately the first half of the year had gone by without much event and hopefully the rest of the year would remain just as uneventful.

His sister shifted uncomfortably next to him as she wiped her forehead with the back of her hand while there mother didn't even seem to be fazed by the heat at all. The cemetery was a place he absolutely hated to visit. He hated having to navigate through both marked and unmarked graves and he found the fact that he was surrounded by so many tombstones uncomfortable.

"He would have been forty-six today." Sabine said, finally breaking the silence. She looked up briefly from her husband's grave when the breeze finally picked up again.

"I find it wrong how I can't remember what he looked like anymore." Lucille mumbled as she fanned herself with her hand.

"I forgot how he looked like a long time ago." was her brother's reply. Sabine turned to look at her children and frowned. She blinked at them before rubbing her eyes and letting out sigh.

"To give both of you an idea, Aurèle looks a lot like Alphonse did when he was his age. Elise is right about that at least." Sabine said as she stared at her son for a few seconds before clearing her throat. Lucille glanced quickly at her brother as their mother placed her right hand on her cheat and cleared her throat again. "I'd feel a lot better if I at least knew what it was that happened that night."

"It was an accident…wasn't it?" Aurèle asked her. Sabine turned her attention back to the grave before her without a word.

"Mother?"

"Just let me stay here for a few more minutes. Then I'll go visit Alexandre's grave and we'll leave." Sabine said softly.

Without another thought, Aurèle walked away from where his mother and sister stood and made his way down the row of graves before stopping at one six plots down from where his mother stood. It was easy to remember exactly where his father and brother's graves were located when they were at the very back of the cemetery and the only two in the back without tombstones.

"He did something that affected history in a way, you know that right?"

He glanced over his shoulder as Lucille walked up next to him. He looked back down at Alexandre's grave and shoved his hands into his pockets. "I wasn't paying much attention at that time." he replied, knowing that she was referring to the Bastille. With the first anniversary of the storming of the prison only a few days earlier, marking the unofficial national holiday, how could he not forget?

"He only played a small part."

"It doesn't really matter much in the end, does it? I mean either way what happened to the Bastille signaled the start of the Revolution." Lucille replied.

"It shouldn't matter because nobody will ever know that he was the one who finished de Launay off."

"You're not upset about that, are you?"

"No, I'm not…. For all everybody knows an angry mob finished him off. When have the Assassins ever been mentioned in history?"

"It's supposed to be that way, isn't it?"

"Yes…."

"You don't still think that his death was your fault, do you?"

When several seconds passed and her brother didn't answer she looked up to see him staring down intently at the unmarked grave before them. She sighed and tucked a few strands of hair behind her ears as the breeze picked up again.

"You know, it would be great if we did get some closure…if we knew what it was that happened to father. We know what happened to Alexandre, you were there." she paused as he cringed slightly before continuing. "But what happened to father is still a mystery."

"It was an accident…." Aurèle looked up and turned to his sister with a frown.

"Why do you keep telling yourself that?"

"Why don't you stop bringing that up?"

"Because you know that it wasn't an accident and you don't want to admit it. Mother always told us that it was an accident those first few months but Alexander and I didn't believe it. You were the one who woke up with night terrors those first few weeks so his death must have affected you a bit more, right?"

Aurèle stared at Lucille for a few seconds before shaking his head and looking back down to the grave. Lucille let out an annoyed huff when he didn't respond and glanced over her shoulder quickly to check on her mother who was still standing over their father's grave before turning back to look at her brother.

"I asked Valentin once what happened that night and he didn't tell me anything-"

"He was there, sure, but that doesn't mean that he's allowed to speak about it." Aurèle interrupted her.

"What do you mean?" Lucille asked in confusion.

"I overheard grandfather and mother talking about how what happened that night was confidential a few days after the funeral. He was ordered to keep silence over what happened." Aurèle turned to look at his sister again who crossed her arms over her chest and bit her lip.

"Do you think that there might be a physical record on what happened that night? There has to be a record or something at headquarters, maybe in the records room or Sylvain's office."

"There's nowhere for him to put documents away for safe keeping in his office."

"Then the record room? The room is always locked I think so you'd have to pick the lock." Lucille suggested, earning a look from her brother.

"If I were to break into the record room-"

"You might find out what happened to father."

"And get in trouble with Sylvain. The man is crazy. One minute he's calm and the next he's angry, and it's only gotten worse since the beginning of the year. Can you imagine his reaction if he were to catch me in there? Everybody tries to avoid him at all costs and you want me to risk getting in trouble with him?" Aurèle retorted, trying to keep his voice low enough to keep his mother from hearing.

"Well…you shouldn't go alone you know. You could use some help finding the file. Take Claude with you, or maybe Marceline. You know what? You won't get in trouble unless you're caught. You're an Assassin; you should at least know how to be stealthy…unless you don't…."

"Lucille, I'm not going to go look to see if that file even exists."

"At least think about it." Lucille said softly as their mother made her way over to them with a solemn look. Aurèle glanced over to her and Lucille turned slightly to look at Sabine before turning back to her brother. "At least do it for her?" she insisted, giving him a pleading look as she waited for his answer.

Just as Sabine reached them they could hear the bells tolling not far in the distance, signaling that another hour had passed. Aurèle let out an irritated sigh, knowing that now he'd have to go spend the rest of the day at the shop.

"Aurèle, shouldn't you be heading off to work now?" Sabine asked as she stopped in front of her children.

"Yes, I should be." he replied before taking a step backwards.

"Then go. We'll see you back home later." Sabine smiled at him before turning her attention to Alexandre's grave. Lucille let out a huff as he walked past her, leaving her alone with their mother without even another word to her.

* * *

The day felt like it would go on forever. It didn't help either that it was uncomfortably hot the whole time he was working, but he still didn't complain. He still didn't complain about the work load his grandfather had so generously bestowed on him (he _hated _it), and he wasn't about to any time soon. By the time he finally left work the sun was already beginning to set, and once he got home he entered the house and continued straight on to the den before plopping down on one of the sofas. Mostly everything ached but it wasn't like he was in intense pain, he could sleep it off.

A while passed and for a moment he thought that nobody was home from how quiet the house was until he heard the floorboards creaking overhead. Letting out a deep breath, he slouched into his seat as his eyes started becoming heavy with sleep just as he heard somebody descending the stairs. For a moment he wondered who it might have been before a voice cut through his thoughts.

"You should head upstairs to your room if you plan to fall asleep."

Aurèle opened his eyes to see his grandfather standing at the threshold of the den and quickly sat up. Blaise grinned and shook his head as he made his way to the sofa adjacent to where his grandson sat as the latter rubbed the sleep away from his eyes.

"I understand that you and Lucille joined Sabine on a trip to the cemetery today to visit your father's grave. I honestly didn't even remember that it was Alphonse's birthday, but then again I'm not as good at remembering important dates as I was several years ago." Blaise continued.

"Where are they?"

"For now they're at the market." he answered. "Earlier today I was asked a favor by your sister earlier. She asked me to convince you to go search for a file in the record room. Would you know anything about that?"

"Lucille what? Aurèle looked up and blinked as his grandfather leaned back in his seat.

"Lucille won't tell me why she wants you to go search for a file in the record room at headquarters, so I'm hoping that you'll enlighten me on why she wants you to do such a thing. I told her that I _might _try to convince you, but you know that I always spoiled your sister a little. So tell me, why _should _I convince you to break into the record room and risk getting in trouble?"

"I'm _not _going to break into the record room."

"Why _does _she want you to break in there?"

Aurèle sighed and sat up a little more as his grandfather patiently waited for an explanation before answering hesitantly. "She wants me to go see if I can find the file detailing what happened the night-"

"Alphonse died?" Blaise finished, completely unfazed. Obviously the old man knew what Lucille was talking about earlier that day. "Why would she want that?"

Why was he feigning ignorance?

"Closure." Aurèle replied, the word sounding so insignificant when he said it.

"I can see how she would want that." Blaise nodded his head in agreement before pointing a finger at him. "But do _you _want closure? If Lucille is asking me to convince you, then you're not really interested in going and retrieving that file, and there's a certainty that it exists somewhere. Such deaths are recorded after an investigation has been conducted and are then placed under lock and key."

"In the record room?"

"Before Sylvain took over such confidential files were saved in the office, but now the man changed everything since he first took over. Who knows where that file is? It might just be in there."

"So would I have a chance at finding it?"

"It's up to you if you want to go search for it in there. Your mother always thought that there was a…'special' reason behind his death, Valentin was ordered to keep silence, and Iven took whatever he knew with him to the grave. The only one who would be able to tell you what happened is Valentin, and I doubt that he would want to risk getting into serious trouble because of your mother and Sabine's curiosity." Blaise paused and sat up, narrowing his eyes slightly.

"You still think it's an accident. Lucille told me that you refuse to believe that your father's death was anything but an accident."

"It wasn't an accident, was it?"

Blaise stared at him for a few seconds before setting up straight and clearing his throat. "Boy, let me tell you something about your father that I don't think your neither your mother or Valentin have any intention of telling you or your sister. In fact, it has some to do with your parent's decision to keep your heritage from you and your siblings for most of your lives."

"What is it?"

"I don't know the full details, but Valentin should. Your father was a very discreet man during an earlier period of his life. Your mother knows what your father went through, and I doubt that she would like to share with you and your sister that Alphonse wasn't there for the first few years of your lives. She wouldn't want to taint those childhood memories you two have of him. You remember him as always being there and caring for his family, but he wasn't always that way?

"How was he like then?" Aurèle asked, somewhat interested in what his grandfather had to say. Blaise hesitated before answering.

"For several years, your father was obsessed with finding a map that held the location to some treasure. It's a miracle he focused enough to fall in love with your mother, marry her, and have children. Alphonse neglected almost everybody around him in search of that map and at some point he even isolated himself in his own little world."

"He was looking for a treasure? He wasn't a pirate, was he?"

Blaise could hear the doubt and mockery in his tone and frowned.

"Yes a treasure, and no he was not a pirate. Show respect boy. Your father started out chasing a myth, and I can't tell you if he ever found what he was looking for. I could, but I'm not going to. Alphonse constantly went on trips. He settled down for some time when Alexandre was born, but a few months after Lucille was born he grew restless and started his search again."

"Why did he suddenly give up?"

"Something happened after he returned from a trip months after your first birthday. Something clicked in his mind, and from then on forth he began paying more attention to his family and those around him."

"But what does a map have to do with finding out what happened to him?"

Blaise stood up and stretched his arms out. "I just thought I would share a period of your father's life with you, no matter how vague the details I gave you were." he replied before making his way out of the room.

"Grandfather?" Aurèle called after as he stood up from his seat. Blaise stopped and turned to look at him.

"Yes?"

"_Does _that…story have anything to do with what happened to him?"

Blaise simply smiled before turning back around and continuing to make his way out of the den, leaving his grandson alone.

* * *

He was actually looking forward to the day ahead since he had all the day to himself. He didn't have to go to work, and he had slept well enough the night that he didn't feel as tired as he usually did. Actually he had woken up in a good mood that morning until Lucille ruined it with her constant begging. The first thing she did when he entered the kitchen that morning was ask him if he was going to do it. Then while he was eating she continued to try to persuade him, and had asked him if he had even thought about it the night before. By mid-morning he was sick of her constantly asking him the same thing that he gave in. Why was it that Lucille always managed to annoy him whenever she wanted him to do something?

He didn't go alone though. Lucille wanted to go along with him with the excuse that she had nothing to do the whole day and that the house was boring. He really didn't find that hard to believe. They found that the streets were not as busy as they usually were on any other given day on their way, but as long as they weren't delayed by foot traffic they weren't going to complain. Once they made it to the Tower, they both headed down to the lobby and continued on toward their destination.

"Did you bring anything to pick the lock with?" Lucille asked him as they made their way through the halls in headquarters toward the record room, breaking the silence between them.

"Yes, why?"

"Well, you usually go out unprepared…and don't argue with me on this one."

"How would you know?"

"Aurèle, really? I don't have to give examples-"

"Because you don't have any." Aurèle interrupted her as he glared at his sister. Lucille rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"Marceline told me that Valentin failed you several over whether or not you were prepared over the last few months during training."

"You're going to believe her?"

"Claude backed her up."

"Are we going to argue about this?"

"I asked a simple question-"

"And you told me not to argue with you."

"So that was a challenge?"

"You made it sound like one."

"Then I'm sorry, but it's not my fault you're in denial."

"Denial?" Aurèle repeated, giving Lucille an irritated look. "I'm not in denial."

"Do I have to give you more examples? Like the day Elise first visited mother, and you were asked to take Marceline out sightseeing and you two ended up being chased by a guard? You had nothing on you." Lucille said, crossing her arms across her chest as they turned a corner.

"Neither did she…and how would you know about that?"

"She told me."

"Does she tell you everything?" Aurèle asked her irritably as he stopped in front of a door on the opposite side of the hall from where Sylvain's office was located. He knew that Marceline and Lucille got along over the course of the past few months (and he had even got used to her presence while she got used to Claude), he just didn't know how well if they were getting along. He barely ever saw them together except for when Elise would visit his mother every other week.

"That doesn't concern you." Lucille retorted. She stopped in her tracks

"Neither does whether or not I'm prepared. I know what I'm doing."

"Do you at least admit that you're forgetful?"

Aurèle sighed as he took hold of the door knob, and to his surprise the knob didn't resist before he pushed the door open. He turned to look at Lucille who seemed to be just as surprised as he was before he pushed the door open all the way and stepped in.

"This room is supposed to be locked at all times…isn't it?" Lucille asked as she followed her brother inside. Aurèle closed the door behind them before taking a good look around the room which was surprisingly neat contrary to the mess he thought the room would be. There were shelves of boxes labeled with letters, the walls were mostly bare, and in the middle of the room was a table with papers scattered all over it.

"Somebody was in here and probably forgot to lock it." Aurèle replied as he watched Lucille walk over to the desk and pick up of the papers scattered on the table.

"Where do you think it could be?" Lucille looked up from the paper in her hands and glanced around the room.

"In one of those boxes?" he suggested as he walked over to the table and looked down at the papers before him. There were mostly uncompleted birth records, a few death certificates, records from completed missions, and a few other documents he didn't care for. Lucille placed the paper back down on the table before stepping toward one of the shelves.

"These are birth records here…."

Aurèle looked up as Lucille reached up and took a box from the shelf adjacent to where they stood in her hands.

"I'm kind of curious about my birth certificate." Lucille said as she placed the box on the table.

"We're here for one thing, remember?" Aurèle reminded her as he looked down at the box she had placed in front of him. It was labeled with the letter 'A' in what looked to be blue paint filled with folders. He looked up when she placed another box on the table also labeled with the letter 'A', this time in red paint.

"I think they go by last name." Lucille wondered aloud as she reached for the first box.

"Do you think that this is worth the risk of getting caught right now?"

"The door was unlocked." was his sister's reply as she sorted through the folders. "Besides, we could search up father's death certificate and see if that can give us a lead, or at least a hint."

Aurèle shook his head as he looked back down at the papers that were on the table before one caught his eye.

"_…of Eden."_ he read from the corner before pulling the document out and laying it in front of him. _"Apple of Eden." _he looked up as Lucille continued what she was doing before turning his attention back to the document. He stared at the drawing of a ball on it, ignoring the words that were written to the side and wondered why the drawing looked so familiar.

"Aurèle?"

"Yes?" he looked up as Lucille pointed at the single document she had in her hand in disappointment.

"Only father's is in here." Lucille looked up to her brother with a frown as she placed the document back into the open folder before her. Aurèle reached over and picked the certificate it up before reading it.

"Alphonse Armand, born July eighteenth of the year seventeen forty-four in the commune of Montréal, Gers in the Midi-Pyrénées region…."

"Yours, mine, and Alexandre's are missing." Lucille said as she took their father's certificate into her own hands and placed it back in its proper place. "But mother's and grandfathers are where they should be." she pointed down to another folder she had open before where two documents were spread out.

"Sabine Avril, born December thirtieth of the year seventeen forty-five in Paris…. Then there's Blaise Avril…born May twenty-seventh of the year seventeen twenty-one."

"And ours are _missing." _Lucille emphasized as she began putting everything in its rightful place.

"Yes, those three have been missing for some time." a new voice joined in. They both turned to the door where Sylvain was standing with a man wearing a short man wearing a powdered wig next to him. Before either of them could get a good look at Sylvain's guest, Sylvain walked over to the table and looked down at the boxes set on the table.

"The last person to look at those was your father. Only he knows whatever happened to them." he continued calmly. "What are you two doing in here?"

"I was…." Lucille hesitated as she placed the folders back into the appropriate box.

"We were curious to know what happened to our father." Aurèle answered. Sylvain nodded his head and placed a hand on the table.

"I thought that it was an accident." Sylvain said as he shifted a few papers around.

"I don't think it was an accident." Lucille replied, earning a look from the man.

"Alright, let's say you're right." Sylvain began before stepping away from the table. "You're right, and that whole accident crap is what your mother and grandfather decided to feed to you three. They didn't want to tell you that your father, _Alphonse Armand_, used to obsessed with finding some treasure, a _myth, _and that he spent years looking for it. _That's _what ended up killing him in the end."

"But…." Lucille stopped as he narrowed his eyes at her a little. She frowned and walked around the table to stand beside her brother.

"Let's stop living in the past now, shall we?" Sylvain raised a brow as Lucille glared at him.

"Sylvain, did you say Alphonse Armand?" Sylvain turned as the man who accompanied him to the room walked over to the table. "Are these two his children?"

Sylvain looked up briefly at Aurèle and Lucille before turning back to the man.

"Yes, they are." he replied a bit reluctantly.

"Aurèle, Lucille, this is Maximilien de Robespierre, an ally. He's a member of the Society of the Friends of the Constitution." Sylvain introduced.

"Or the Jacobins, as our enemies call us." Maximilien added with a frown. "I understand that your father's dead."

"Yes…he is." Lucille replied hesitantly.

"Did you know him?" Aurèle asked, and was surprised when the man smiled.

"Yes, I knew him. I met him a long time ago, but we weren't in constant communication. It's a shame to hear that he's dead."

"Yes, it's a shame."Sylvain nodded before clearing his throat. "If you two could please leave?" he turned to look at Aurèle and Lucille again. "We have important matters to discuss."

"Of course…." Lucille said before making her way toward the door as Sylvain turned his attention back to Maximilien.

"Now, as we were talking about earlier…." Sylvain began as Aurèle followed his sister out of the room and closed the door behind them.

"What was Sylvain talking about?" Lucille asked him as her brother began making his way down the hall. "Do you know what he was talking about?"

"About…."

"If you know something then at least tell Me." she demanded as she followed after him.

"Grandfather may have told me something." Aurèle answered hesitantly before stopping to let his sister catch up to him.

"Grandfather told you something and you didn't want to share it with me?"

"I thought he would have told you."

"Told me what?"

"That he was a man obsessed? That he was looking for some…'treasure' like Sylvain said."

"So what he said in there was true? I thought he was just talking to talk. You know how delirious he's been getting the past few months. He's losing it; he even started accusing everybody of treason last year. And what did he find?"

"He didn't find anybody, or any evidence to back any other evidence to back his accusation up."

"Other than that _one _document that you and Marceline went to retrieve that month."

"You don't believe him?" Aurèle asked her.

Lucille bit her lip and crossed her arms over her chest. "I don't know…if grandfather-"

"He told me basically the same thing Sylvain told us, except he didn't tell me how he thought he died."

"So you believe Sylvain's theory?" Lucille asked him with a scowl.

"I didn't say that I do."

"Alright, for now we'll just leave it at that. Let's just say that he died because of some obsession he had, but both of us know that it wasn't like that." Lucille started down the hall before turning to look at her brother. "I won't dig around anymore into what happened to him."

"Why is that?"

"Because _you will _find it out what happened to him." she told him as she pointed a finger at him. "I don't think you really care to find out the truth, but _I _do. Do I have your word that you'll at least try to find out the truth?"

"You're not going to let this go, are you?" he asked her even though he knew the answer. Why was it that Lucille was always the one determined to do something once she put her mind to it? Though he knew she was right about their father's death being anything other than an accident, and he was the one who refused to believe it.

"Aurèle?" Lucille stared at him as she waited for his response before he nodded his head and let out a sigh.

"You have my word…."

* * *

**A/N: **So it's been a little more than four months since I last updated this? School kept me busy for those past few months, but now I'm on break for a few weeks before I start school again. I don't think sorry will even make up for not updating for so long, but I did edit each and every chapter including the last one which I still think is horrible. I hated the last one. Also writer's block kept me from this because I didn't know how to deal with the time skip.

And I changed the title back to the original one. This one is sticking for a long time. I'm not thinking of changing it again. was acting really stupid when I uploaded this chapter onto the doc manager so please tell me if there's anything off with this chapter.


	10. Answers

**Chapter X: Answers**

_October 18th, 1790_

"Would you like coffee?"

"Yes, please."

He could hear his mother and Elise speaking in the kitchen, the woman having just arrived to spend the afternoon with his mother again. At least his mother no longer sat around bored all day. He didn't remember a time when Sabine would speak to the neighbors. Besides, most if not all the women nearby gossiped too much for their own good and his mother hated gossiping. Then there was Marceline and Lucille's conversation in the hallway which he could hear clearly from where he was sitting but he wasn't actually listening to them. But of course Marceline would be there. If Elise was there, Marceline was there. It was only when he heard the front door open and close did he open his eyes. He blinked before looking out the window where he could see Lucille stepping out onto the street.

His sister frequently reminded him about what she had asked of him months prior, and he would always give her the same answer. He couldn't find anything that had to do with his father around the day that he died and he knew that Lucille wouldn't be satisfied until he finally found something that either proved she was right or wrong. She didn't seem to care when they got back home after being chastised by their grandfather when she told him that they had snuck into the record room to see if they could find anything. Their mother had been less than thrilled. But while his sister thought that he had actually been trying to find anything that could prove she was right he hadn't even started his search. Where could he possibly start anyway? Everywhere he turned to ended up being a dead-end.

He sat up in his seat and yawned out of boredom. It was yet another day he was off from work with absolutely _nothing _to do, and though having the day off seemed great what was the point when all he _could _do was sit around in the living room all day? Now that he thought about it some fresh air might be good for him. He let out a deep breath and stood up, stretching his arms before leaving the living room and stepping out into the hall just in time to come face to face with Marceline. She took a step back and placed a hand on her chest as she took a deep breath.

"You scared me." she let out before straightening herself, her voice squeaking a little at the end. "I thought you were working today."

"I have the day off again today." Aurèle shrugged.

"Or at least any training today?"

"I got a concussion the other day and have been told not to do anything stupid that could make it worse for the next few days."

"Were those Valentin's exact words?"

"Might as well have been." he replied as he reached over and rubbed the back of his head. He could still feel the tender spot where he had hurt his head and could imagine there being a huge bruise.

"What happened exactly?" Marceline asked him. Aurèle raised a brow as she waited patiently for his answer, somewhat surprised at how genuinely concerned she sounded. Other times she had only asked out of courtesy, he could tell those few times by the one of her voice and how she would look away almost immediately afterwards. So he decided to humor her.

"I wasn't paying attention and it was my fault." he answered. "I hit my head." He could see that she wasn't satisfied with the answer by the way she wrinkled her nose out of disappointment and clasped her hands together.

"Are you alright now?"

"I'm fine."

"Alright…whatever you say." Marceline sighed as he cracked his knuckles, tracing his thumb over a small gash on his right hand that he had gotten the day he 'hit his head'. He could still remember the force of the blow when he was elbowed on his chest, how the blade sliced past his hand when he was knocked down to the ground and held there….

_"Remember, you're going to deal with a whole bunch of shit when you're out there and your enemies aren't going to be merciful. Neither should you…."_

He knew that Valentin's words rang true, no matter how irritated or frustrated he got whenever the man would get too rough with him. Now if it was his father training him…he didn't think that Alphonse would have been as harsh as Valentin was. Aurèle clenched his teeth. It _should_ have been his father training him, whether or not he would have been harsh on him or not. His train of thought was broken as Marceline began speaking again.

"Why didn't you tell me that it was your birthday yesterday?"

"My what?"

"Your birthday." Marceline repeated slowly as if he were a small child. He didn't particularly like that.

"I heard you the first time." he mumbled irritably causing Marceline to smile out of amusement. The woman seemed to love irritating him whenever she got the chance.

"Lucille told me that your birthday was yesterday. Sorry, but I'm surprised you never brought that up before."

Why would he bring it up? He didn't really care for the attention he got on his birthday just because he was turning a year older. "I haven't made a big deal out of my birthday in years."

"So you didn't celebrate it at all yesterday?"

"I didn't say that."

"So what did you do?" Marceline asked him curiously.

He smiled as he considered whether or not to answer her. "Nothing my mother would be proud of, not that it would really harm anybody what I did last night anyway. I managed to get a bottle of liquor and celebrated with that until I fell asleep."

Marceline stared at him for a few seconds as she crossed her arms across her chest. "I've never seen you drink before."

"My mother doesn't like anybody drinking in the house. I still remember her getting angry at my father for coming home drunk sometimes."

"Your father was a drunk?"

"No." he answered with a shake of his head. "He usually didn't drink, or when he did he'd go out with Valentin to the tavern. He tried not to drink in front of us. He wasn't a violent drinker, but it still bothered my mother."

Marceline bit her lip and nodded. "How did you afford the bottle?"

"Who said I bought it?"

"You manage hangovers pretty well." she commented before taking a step backwards. "I'm going to go see if I can catch up with Lucille. I don't know when Elise is leaving and I'd rather not sit around bored until we do."

Aurèle watched as she turned around and headed back down the hall toward the front door before he turned around and made his way over to the stairs. He still intended to go out and get some fresh air, or at least to kill time. He was sick of staying inside the house with nothing to do and the nausea (most likely from his hangover) was starting to bother him again. Once he was upstairs he walked out into the hallway and continued on to his room. If he was going to head outside he'd need his jacket. It was getting chillier outside by the day.

When he finally reached his door he opened it and stepped in, not even bothering to close it afterwards since he would be back out shortly anyway. He took hold of the railing as he climbed the stairs, careful not to shift around any of the loose boards on the stairs as he did so. Every step he took up he could hear the boards underneath him clattering against each other, and it seemed as though they would get looser each time he'd go up and down the stairs.

Once he reached the top step he felt one of the two boards he was stepping on slide underneath his foot and he stepped off it just in time as the board came out of place. He glanced over his shoulder and watched as the board tumbled down the rest of the steps before finally stopping near the bottom. He shook his head and quickly went off to fetch his jacket before heading towards the stairs again, skipping the top step on his way down to retrieve the board before making his way back up. He was sure there had to be a hammer around the house somewhere—he just needed to get nails. Just as Aurèle reached the top step again and was about to place the board back in its rightful place he paused as something in the space within the top step caught his eye. Something shimmered in the dark spot underneath the remaining board underneath what little sunlight reached to the part of the room, and without much thought he stuck his hand in here.

He could feel his fingers pass by a few cobwebs in the way and was surprised when his hand laid against what he thought was the cover of a book. He wrapped his fingers around the object and pulled it out, shaking off any remnants of cobweb off it before wiping his hand on his pants out of disgust. He wasn't scared of spiders but they still disgusted him. He looked down at the object he had pulled out and wiped the thick layer of dust off it and for a moment wondered why a worn out book was hidden underneath the top step, amazing that such an old looking book wasn't falling apart in his hands. The color of the cover was faded and it was obvious that it used to be a darker shade of brown. He could feel a bump within the pages of the book and the coolness of metal underneath his fingertips as he wrapped them on the top of the book.

Aurèle reached over to the top of the book and wrapped his fingers around whatever was hanging loosely out of the pages before pulling it out. He held the new object in front of him and stared at the pendent in the shape of the Assassin insignia hanging from the necklace, the metal it was formed out of now dull from age. Realization suddenly dawned on him as he spun the necklace around his finger and caught the pendent in his palm. He shoved it into his pocket before finally replacing the missing board from the top step and turned his attention back to the journal. Could this really be his father's? Who else would hide a journal away in the attic with a pendant like that within the pages?

He hesitantly opened the book to the first page, not sure if the spine would give way before opening it completely and taking a couple of pages into his hand. He let the pages roll off his thumb as he quickly skimmed through the book, the many pages filled with familiar handwriting. When he finally reached the first page again he placed his finger on the page and skimmed down to the signature:

_Lionel A._

He stood there, trying to remember why that name was so familiar before it finally hit him. His paternal grandfather's name was Lionel. But he thought that it was his father's journal. Confused, he skimmed up to the top of the page and decided to read the page through.

_17th July 1761_

_My son, throughout my many years as a sailor I've kept a journal of my own in which I wrote down my adventures and any thoughts I considered private. In fact, that journal was given to me by my father when I started my sailing career, and now I am giving you a journal in which to write down your experiences as well. By the time I give you this, you'll have been officially introduced to the Brotherhood, and hopefully I will be the one allowed to train you now that I've retired from life as a sailor. Trust me, it is for the best that I've decided to finally settle down again with you and your mother. I will miss life out in the open sea but if I am able to live the rest of my years with my family then it is worth it._

_I know what a mundane gift a journal must be for someone your age; I thought it one as well when I was your age but I'm grateful that my father was thoughtful enough to give me something in which to record my experiences out in the open sea, and as an Assassin. I know that you would have loved to follow in my footsteps as a sailor, but Scarlett will have my head if something happened to you again out there. Must I remind you about the time you almost drowned when I took you out on an expedition? Besides, your mother would much rather you set out to find a 'safer' profession._

_Women these days. There is no shame in risking your life doing something you love son, remember that. Now, I hope your journal is as useful for you as mine was for me. Happy birthday._

_Your old man,_

_Lionel A._

He closed the journal and stared at the cover. So this was in fact his father's journal, a birthday present from his own father and judging by the date Alphonse had to be…seventeen?

He sighed in relief. He had just found something that could prove whether or not Lucille was right and now his sister could leave him alone. He just had to give it to her so that she could read through it herself. He considered for a moment whether or not to show his mother but then decided against it. He didn't want to bring back whatever emotions it was that she felt whenever she'd remember his father, and to give her something where his father most likely wrote down whatever he considered special or important even when it came into terms with family would have been cruel. Why should he indirectly remind his mother about the relationship she once had with his father?

He still remembered the way she cried over him the weeks following his funeral, and though he hated seeing his mother cry he remembered how angry he felt toward his parents for keeping the truth away from him and his siblings. As he flipped through the journal once more time he felt he could feel the resentment he held towards his father that he held all those years surface again. Alphonse was the one who told Valentin and Blaise to tell them the truth about their heritage. He would have been living a relatively normal life if it hadn't been liked that. If his father would have stopped being so selfish and quit when he started a family with his mother then he would still have been there with them. He didn't want to go through the pages. He just wanted Lucille to shut up and leave him alone over the matter now.

Aurèle tested the weight of the book in his hand before going heading back downstairs. He walked over to Lucille's room first and stepped into her room, looking around as he walked over to her bed and threw the journal on top of it, hoping that his sister would leave him alone now that she could read up on their father's life for herself before heading over to his mother's room. He hesitantly opened the door and stepped in as he searched in his pocket and pulled out the pendant. If it was his father's then his mother should be the one to keep it. He placed it on top of her nightstand and left the room, closing the door quietly behind him.

As he headed downstairs he felt a pang of guilt. He had just found the items and he had already given them away without much thought.

* * *

The breeze was starting to pick up, rustling the tree tops overheard and shaking the dead leaves off. He watched as the leaves rained down on the street. He remembered when he and Alexandre would pile up as much leaves as they could and jumped into the piles as children. He clenched his jaw and exhaled out of his nose. The last thing he wanted was to remember the good times he used to have with his brother, especially with the first anniversary of his death drawing closer.

"So with this journal you found in the attic you'll be able to shut your sister up?" Claude asked him, breaking him away from his thoughts.

"Lucille finds ways to bother me. That journal won't be enough." Aurèle replied as they walked down the street. The sun had started setting not long ago, and by that time the streets weren't as full as they were earlier. Mostly those with money to burn were out at that time.

"So now you're going off to ask Valentin if he can tell you anything, but he won't."

Aurèle said nothing, knowing that Claude was right. Valentin always changed the subject when it came to his father. He knew that his sister was the one who wanted the answers and for what reason, but he'd always keep his lips sealed. Aurèle wondered why he was even bothering to try to ask Valentin again, but maybe if he told him that he had found his father's journal then he would finally open up. There had to be something in there that Valentin knew would come to light some day.

As they passed by a tavern Claude stopped in front of the doors for a moment before shaking his head and continuing on.

"How good would a drink be right now? I haven't had one since I was in Montréal last year."

Aurèle glanced sideways in Claude's direction as he started to feel a hint of guilt for not inviting him for a drink the night before. He knew though that Claude wasn't intending to make him feel guilty, and he was starting to regret even telling him how he celebrated the night before. Well it did slip out when he met up with Claude earlier and the latter tagged along.

"Ah, but this man here didn't even invite his old childhood friend to a drink last night, not even to honor his birthday." Claude reached over and patted Aurèle's back, each pat harder than the last. "He takes the whole bottle for himself and drinks it all."

He was wrong. Claude _was_ trying to make him feel guilty.

"Go get one yourself."

"_You _have the sticky fingers." Claude reminded him before taking his hand back.

Aurèle ignored him, wondering why he had gone from taking a run along the rooftops to walking down on the streets with Claude. He should have just left him to go home after his own day of work, or he could at least invite him to a drink by taking another bottle of liquor for himself. He stopped in his tracks before turning around and heading back to the tavern.

"Where are you going?"

"Inviting you to a drink."

Before Claude could reply, Aurèle walked up to the entrance of the tavern and stepped inside. He wasn't a bit surprised by how warm it was inside the building as he began weaving through the crowd, his eyes darting everywhere before finally catching sight of the counter up front where a few men sat with bottles of alcohol in their hands. The tavern was crowded yet again, and just like the day before he was hoping that the crowd would help him leave the place without anybody noticing him. He walked past a few tables and a few men who were standing around before finally reaching the counter. Aurèle watched as the bartender spoke to one of the men seated at the counter before crouching down against the side of the counter and reaching over to the other side, sighing in relief when he felt his hand wrap around one of the bottles stashed on the shelf. He quickly took it and stood back up, retreating back into the crowd but not before bumping into one of the tavern's patrons who happened to be walking by.

"Watch where you're going!"

Aurèle looked and glared at the man who had to be no older than him, glaring daggers at him. He could smell the stench of liquor reeking off the drunk and wrinkled his nose before apologizing.

"Sorry." he said before walking past the man but not before the drunk grabbed his arm and pulled him backwards.

"Sorry isn't enough." the drunk hiccupped. Aurèle gritted his teeth and snatched his arm away before throwing his elbow backwards and hitting the man on the chest. He didn't hit him hard, but the man lost his balance and staggered backwards a few steps before bumping into somebody else.

"It was an accident." Aurèle ground out, turning to look at the drunk who had regained his footing as he clutched his chest.

"You…call that an accident?"

Aurèle ignored him and turned around before continuing toward the door, pushing past the crowd and ignoring the angry remarks as he did so before hearing a bottle smash against something. He hesitated for a moment before quickly turning around to see the drunk with a broken wine bottle in his hand walking up to him. For a split second Aurèle couldn't believe that the man was serious before stepping out of the way just as the drunk lunged at him with the broken bottle. As he watched the drunk stagger forward he reached over and took the broken bottle away from him before watching as the poor man face plant on the floor.

He bit his lip to keep from smiling and dropped the broken glass as he walked over the body. He didn't think that anybody in the room would be sober enough to even start a fight, much less keep their balance while walking around. Once he was back outside he let the door shut behind. He looked up to see Claude leaning against the side of the building and handed the bottle over to him.

"Thank you. I appreciate this." Claude looked down at the bottle in his hands before they both continued down the street.

"A drunk tried to stab me on my way out."

"What?"

"He ended up falling flat on his face." Aurèle grinned as Claude uncorked the bottle and sniffed the contents of the bottle. He pulled the bottle away from his nose and shook his head.

"I'm surprised you came out alive." Claude said with a smile as he placed the cork back on the bottle. "Who in there can even make it to the door without tripping over themselves?"

"What is that anyway?"

"Wine." Claude held up the bottle in his hand and shook it. "Are you sure you want to head over to Valentin's?"

"I'm not in the mood for a drink."

"Then I guess I'll be heading home." Claude said as he deviated away from the direction Aurèle was walking. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Right." Aurèle nodded.

By that time the sun had finally set all the way down. He watched as a few carriages rolled down the street, and as a few of the city guards walked up and down the streets. He turned a corner and continued on to a row of houses, looking up at the buildings as he did so. He was close to Valentin's, and when he finally saw the house that the man resided in he hesitated as he wondered whether or not to go through with it. But he had already made up his mind, though what would Valentin possibly tell him anyway?

When he felt a hand rest on his shoulder he stopped and quickly turned around, his finger ready to release the catch on his hidden blade before he realized who it was and relaxed.

"What are you doing here?" Valentin asked him.

"I thought you were home."

"I'm just coming home from work….Were you looking for me?"

Aurèle turned around completely to face him as Valentin patiently waited for an answer. "I wanted to ask you-" he began before Valentin caught him off.

"Is it about your father again?"

Aurèle bit his tongue and remained quiet. He had gone to Valentin about the subject so many times that the man must have known already why he was looking for him in the first place. Valentin sighed irritably and pinched the bridge of his nose as he shut his eyes and bowed his head.

"I can't tell you anything that happened that day."

"I'm wasn't going to ask you about that day."

Valentin looked back up and let his hand rest at his side. "Why are you here then?"

"I found my father's journal." Aurèle said which quickly caught the older man's interest. Valentin cleared his throat and stood up straight, glancing away for a second before looking back to him. He _knew _something, Aurèle knew that already and he felt…what did he feel? It wasn't so much the guilt he was starting to feel for forcing the answers out of Valentin but rather something else. He couldn't figure out what though.

"You did? I forgot that your father even had that thing."

"Lionel gave it to him."

"He's your grandfather too, remember that." Valentin reminded him with a frown. "Address him with respect."

"Right…my grandfather." Aurèle corrected himself, knowing that the latter was right. "I…wanted to ask you about that map again."

"The map." Valentin repeated and exhaled. He scrutinized him for a few seconds before answering him. "I told you before that it does exist, but your father asked me not to share that part of his life with you or your siblings before his death."

"Why?" Aurèle demanded, giving Valentin a confused look.

"Your parents decided on keeping your heritage a secret. I don't know for what purpose your father intended to do that for. Your mother was the one who wanted a normal life for you three, but your father…I don't know." Valentin paused and seemed to be thinking of something as he looked away. "Your grandfather—Lionel…. There were rumors that he found that map when he was younger. I'm not sure if he ever did, but your father was the one who decided to go in search for it."

"And he continued that search on even after we were born?"

"Yes."

"Wasn't that a bit selfish?"

Valentin narrowed his eyes at him and frowned. "If it was selfish or not, that doesn't concern you." he snapped. "I don't know what exactly was going through Alphonse's head all those years, but whatever he did after his search he did with you three in mind. You're still angry with him, am I right?"

Aurèle remained quiet and shoved his hands into his pockets. When Valentin realized that he wasn't going to answer he continued on.

"I understand that you were angry with him for some time after his death, but you have to understand that nobody can really tell you what he was thinking when he made that decision with your mother. Or why he did anything that he did afterwards, and why he kept going in and out of retirement. Why was he obsessed with that map and fabled treasure? Only he knew. _Nobody _can give you the answers." Valentin paused and took in a deep breath before letting it out. "Your father would think you were ungrateful if he heard you speaking about him like this."

Aurèle tensed up a bit and clenched his jaw. He wanted to say something but the words never came out. He slumped his shoulders and looked away, reluctantly acknowledging that Valentin was right.

"What did you do with your father's journal?"

"I left it in Lucille's room."

"You should go over it to better understand your father's side of the story. Lucille told me what Sylvain told both of you had happened to him, but he's still sore because your mother chose your father over him. Pathetic really. Besides that he seems so be losing his sanity a bit."

Aurèle looked back up as Valentin patted his shoulder before continuing on home, leaving him standing there.

* * *

When he finally reached the street his house was on he could see a man and a woman standing near the front door, and as he got closer he could see that it was Lucille and Michel. He watched as Michel leaned in close to Lucille and whispered something into his sister's ear to which she giggled.

Aurèle bit the tip of his tongue, not knowing whether he was upset or glad that his sister was allowing the man to court her. Well he didn't get permission yet, so for now he was just flirting with her. He didn't know what to make of that but he was sure that if Alexandre were still alive that he wouldn't be happy about that one bit. Alexandre was the one who was protective of their sister. Then again he was the one who told Lucille that she would have to eventually open up to the idea of getting married someday.

As he got closer and neither of the two noticed him he couldn't help but grin. Could he have fun with this? No, he wasn't in the mood to tease his sister over such a thing but decided to interrupt them either way.

"Did you just return from the market, Lucille?"

Michel jumped back at the sound of his voice while his sister quickly turned to look at him with her mouth slightly open.

"I…no. I came back hours ago." she shook her head before glancing back at Michel.

"Does mother know about this?"

Lucille huffed and glared at him as her cheeks turned rosy red. She turned her attention back to Michel and pointed at the door as he stepped into the house.

"I'll see you inside in a minute." she grumbled. "Besides this is none of your business."

"You're right, it's not." he mumbled to himself before closing the door behind him.

It was quiet in the house and he guessed that his mother and grandfather were most likely upstairs. He made his way upstairs and once he reached the top step he heard the front door open and close again before Lucille rushed toward the stairs and continued up to meet him.

"Aurèle, wait."

Aurèle stopped as Lucille continued up the steps and once she reached him she cleared her throat and motioned for him to follow her.

"What is it?"

"That journal you left in my room…where'd you find it?"

"The attic."

He followed his sister to her room and stood by the door as she went over to her nightstand and retrieved the journal before walking back over to him. She handed it to him and he took it into his hands, giving her a confused look.

"I left it here so you could read it."

"I think you should read it." Lucille crossed her arms over her chest and bit her lip. "I want to know what happened to him...and I did skim through a few pages. I don't know what father meant in what little I read but I'd rather you read it."

"Lucille, you're the one who wanted to know if you were right or wrong."

"And _you _were the one who was angry at him for months after the funeral." she retorted. "You read it. It's not that I don't want anything to do with it, but I kept an open mind all those years ago and I still do. Whatever father had to do all those years ago I wouldn't understand. Besides you found it…that should mean something shouldn't it?"

"I found it by accident."

Lucille sighed and shook her head. "No. It was in your room. You found it, now you read it. It would do you some good to anyway. I don't understand, and I don't think I'll ever understand whatever it is that father did in his youth with that map and whatever that 'treasure' he was searching for was. I wanted to know what happened the day he died, not his whole life story."

Aurèle looked down and flipped through the pages again. Here he thought his sister wouldn't bother him anymore if he gave her the journal.

"Remember when you were ten and you said that father should have retired once Alexandre was born?"

"Why?"

"It dates all the way to seventeen eighty. Maybe if you actually read it you'll understand why father didn't plan to retire until then."

"Do _you _understand?"

Lucille glared at him. "Stop arguing with me. Read it, and I'll promise to stop asking you to figure out what it was that happened to him. I really think this is more important."

Aurèle weighed the book in his hand again. Didn't Valentin tell him to read the journal to better understand his father's decisions too? He did feel a hint of guilt when he left it in Lucille's room earlier.

"Fine."

"Good…." Lucille smiled at him before he turned around and continued down the hallway.

He heard the door close once he turned his back and glanced over his shoulder. He held the book firmly in his hand and once he was in his room he walked over to the bed and plopped down on it after taking off his jacket and kicking off his boots. He stared at the cover as he laid down in bed and wondered if he should even bother reading the whole thing?

_"Your father would think you were ungrateful if he heard you speaking about him like this."_

He felt his ears burn out of shame upon remembering Valentin's words and gritted his teeth. If he told him that then it must have been for a good reason. Now that he thought about it he _was_ curious as to what his father's life used to be before either he or his siblings were born. And if it was true that Alphonse was obsessed about some map then he should be able to find the reason in his journal.

Opening it, he flipped to the second page and looked at the date on the top before continuing on.

_19th October 1761_

_My father would be glad to know that this journal is no longer gathering dust on my shelf. Nothing interesting ever happens here other than my training sessions with my father. As of late my mother has been annoyed with my father for sending my back home with bruises, and today she was angry after she found out that I received a concussion which my father had absolutely nothing to do with. My mother doesn't believe me however; especially since we both came home reeking of liquor. She sent me to bed after I kept telling her that I wanted to go in search for treasure, and my father still thinks I'm joking yet he knows that that treasure I kept blabbering about does indeed exist. He doesn't want to admit it._

_I'm absolutely serious with this. My father insists that my concussion is messing with my head, but it's not. After our training session my father took me to the doctor and afterwards he took me to the tavern before we came back home…_

* * *

_10/19/1761; Montréal_

…"Keep up with me."

The smell of alcohol all around him made him wrinkle his nose in disgust as he stepped into the tavern with his father, watching as the man made his way through the evening crowd without much effort without even brushing against anybody on the way. He on the other hand would occasionally bump into somebody by accident and receive an angry glare or an insult would be directed toward him. He had learned long ago to just ignore them though.

Alphonse looked up as his father continued through the crowd as he continued to struggle to keep up with him. As he continued past everybody one of the tavern's patrons crossed his path and when he bumped into the man he quickly took a step backwards as the drunkard stopped and turned to look at him, puffing out his chest and balling his hands into fists.

"What er ya lookin' at?" the drunkard ground out with a snarl.

He could smell the liquor coming off the man and before he could react he heard somebody call out for him.

"Alphonse.

Alphonse looked over to his father's direction as he took a few steps backwards, relieved when his father was only feet away from where he stood. When Lionel was close enough to him the latter reached over and took a hold of his son's arm before pulling him towards him, ignoring the look that the drunk was throwing their way.

"Son, what did I tell you before we came in here?" Lionel scolded as he led him away.

"To keep up with you."

"Is that so hard to do?"

"It's too crowded in here." Alphonse replied before his father let him go.

"You're going to have to learn to make your way through crowds, no excuses." Lionel replied as they reached the back of the tavern which was less crowded much to Alphonse's relief. "What if you've just finished off a target, the guards are on you, and your only escape is a back alley on the other side of a crowded street? What would you do then?"

"I wouldn't have alerted the guards." he replied confidently. Or would have he?

Lionel turned to look at his son, his green eyes meeting the boy's own as his lips curved up right slightly. "Be realistic boy." he shook his head and continued on towards a table where two men were already sitting with their drinks in their hands. "You have to learn to plan ahead. Things aren't always going to go the way you want them to."

"Then I'll take the rooftops."

"My boy, such confidence in your skills makes me proud but I'm afraid you won't last long with that attitude." Lionel chuckled once they finally reached the table. Alphonse felt his ears burn out of embarrassment, knowing that his father was right. He would have to learn to maneuver his way through a crowd eventually.

Lionel placed his hands sprawled out on the surface of the table and sat down in one of the unoccupied seats before turning his attention to the two men had had just sat down with.

"What are you going on about now, Lionel?" the older of the men who Alphonse knew as Gilbert asked while the other watched as he sat down on the other unoccupied seat next to his father. He had known the two since he was a child and usually saw them whenever his father returned from a voyage out in the sea. To his understanding neither of the two had retired from their careers yet and Lionel didn't think that they would anytime soon either. "Bernard and I were just talking about the old days," Gilbert motioned over to Bernard who took a quick swig of his drink. "When I hear you giving another lecture to your son, or at least I'm assuming that it's a lecture."

Lionel leaned back in his seat and stretched his arms out. "My boy here thinks that he doesn't need to learn how to maneuver through crowds; says that he won't get caught."

Alphonse opened his mouth to protest but bit his tongue instead. That wasn't exactly what he had said and he wasn't sure how his father would react if he told him otherwise.

"Hmm." Bernard set down his mug and glanced over in Alphonse's direction. "Confidence won't always get you far in life. Listen to your father. Your old man did right in asking to personally train you; he can keep you in check."

"You should be grateful that you even have a father that cares enough to personally train you," Gilbert joined in as Lionel stopped a hostess passing by him, quickly whispering in her ear before letting her go. "I didn't even have a father growing up, so when I hit seventeen it was straight to the sea with me. I would have loved for my father to steer me in the right direction at your age, but it was only my mother sending me off to the coast."

Bernard leaned back in his own seat as the same hostess Lionel stopped a minute before came back with two mugs and set them down in the middle of the table. Lionel reached over and took one for himself, pointing at the other one.

"Alphonse take that."

Alphonse watched as his father took a swig of whatever liquor he had ordered before reaching over and taking the lone mug. He lifted it up to his mouth, wrinkling his nose at the foul smell before guzzling some down, stopping when the liquor hit his throat. He set the mug down on the table and coughed, eliciting a snicker from Gilbert.

"That should wake you up a bit before we head back home." Lionel said with a smile as his son regained his composure. "My boy here has a concussion. Most probably got one earlier when he was out with his friend, or it could have been during training earlier. Either way, I think we both should drink up before dealing with Scarlett when we get back and she finds out."

Gilbert leaned into the table, placing both his hands on the surface as Lionel and Bernard took another drink before nudging Bernard who inched away from him, giving him in irritated look.

"Lionel, haven't you ever shared any stories with your son lately?" Gilbert turned to look at Lionel who set his mug down and shook his head.

"No, he doesn't care much for stories."

"That's a shame. I thought he would have loved to hear about that treasure map you lost a few years ago. Does he at least know about the Apple?" Gilbert glanced over to Alphonse as a smile crept up on Bernard's face. Lionel frowned and leaned into the table, looking over to his son whose attention was on Gilbert now.

"I've heard about the Apple." Alphonse spoke up, receiving a disapproving look from his father.

"Alphonse, these two have had too much to drink-" his father began before Bernard interrupted him.

"So the kid here knows about the Apple." Bernard rubbed his chin. "Does he have any interest in hearing one of that map?"

"What map?" Alphonse asked, stifling a cough as he blinked a few times, the liquor finally getting to him. He didn't find any particular interest with Gilbert and Bernard's words, but he'd at least humor his father's friends. He knew that they were joking around with them but by that point he didn't care as he took another mouthful of whatever it was that Lionel had ordered.

"There's a map that your father had the fortune of finding during an expedition but then lost while we were out in sea. It's common knowledge by now that the Apple is in fact real, and if you've heard the story of Ezio Auditore then you know about Those Who Came Before." Bernard started before pausing, trying his best to contain his laughter while Lionel glared at him.

"That map leads to a treasure that is believed to be a relic from Those Who Came Before. So far it's believed to have never been found yet but who knows. Your father here dropped the map, and even refused to go look for it himself which is a great shame though nobody knows what that particular piece does."

Alphonse zoned out for a moment and rubbed his ear as it began ringing, fully aware that Bernard was still talking. He looked back at the men in front of him, both Gilbert and Bernard smiling while Lionel glared at both of them, his fingers tightening around the mug in his hand. He blinked, taking in what Bernard had just told him before looking over to his father.

"You found a map from Those Who Came Before?" he asked his father who tensed a bit before standing up from his seat.

"That's right; your father here missed his opportunity to find some real treasure." Gilbert replied with a grin.

"A Piece of Eden?"

"Of course, what else could it possibly be?"

Alphonse looked down at his mug as his father walked behind Bernard and Gilbert who snickered as the boy continued to take the information all in.

"Is there a way one can find it?" Alphonse asked them. Lionel made his way over to his son and grabbed him by the arm, pulling him up onto his feet. Alphonse felt as though the whole world spun around him and his stomach churned. He clenched his jaw as he felt some bile rise up before swallowing it and letting out a short cough.

"The boy still can't handle the liquor, Lionel." Gilbert chuckled.

"Son, it's a myth. You know these two are messing around with you." Lionel told him, his ears red from embarrassment.

"But…but it's a map…they said it's a treasure…." Alphonse slurred. He didn't care at the moment what his father said, or whatever input Gilbert and Bernard had to share now. He wanted to find that Piece of Eden, and he wanted more of that liquor. What _was _that stuff anyway?

"It's a _myth." _Lionel spat out the last word with emphasis before dragging him away from the table….

* * *

…_Now my mother is furious with my father for allowing me to get as drunk as I was. When I woke from my nap, my father pulled me aside and admitted that he was once in possession of such a map but insists that the treasure that Gilbert and Bernard claim the map leads to is a myth. Due to my father's reaction back at the tavern I don't think he's being completely honest and I don't want to tell him that I've started having that dream again. I have a feeling that in some way my dream is connected to that map but I'm not entirely sure. I always dreamed of some strange object when I was younger, but in those versions I think I was some sort of pirate. I'd rather not dwell on that for now._

_For now I know that that Piece of Eden exists somewhere. It would be impossible for me to ever track down that map, but if I ever do find it then I'll be sure to go search for that 'treasure' regardless of what my father says._

Aurèle closed the journal before throwing it over on his nightstand and laying back down with his arms crossed behind his head. He didn't know what to think at the moment as he stared up at the ceiling. Valentin was right about the rumors about his grandfather having found the map before, but his father deciding to go in search for it simply because he thought that it was connected to a dream he had? Here he had just read one page his father had actually written on and he was already confused, and he couldn't believe how naïve his father sounded but then again it was an entry from when the latter was seventeen.

And just like himself, his father knew that secrets were being kept from him. He didn't know what to think of that either. He knew that Blaise and Valentin must be hiding something from him and it made his head hurt from frustration just thinking that they refused to tell him anything. His grandfather would have just told him the same thing that Valentin had told him if he went and asked him for straight answers. To read in on his father's side of the story. Then he felt frustrated due to the fact that he had to read through a twenty-nine year old journal for answers.

But he didn't have to. He wasn't forced to read through the pages…he wanted to.

* * *

**A/N: **And I had to cut it there because it was getting too long. I don't remember the last time I submitted 8,000 words for one chapter.


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